


whatever it takes to protect you

by CastleGachi



Category: Naruto
Genre: (they're still babies), :), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Coming to terms with trauma, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Family, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Konoha ain't Shit, Major Spoilers in Tags Ahead:, Minor Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, NO MORE SECRETS (TOO MUCH KONOHA TOO MUCH), No beta we die like mne, THE CHILDREN WILL BE PROTECTED, Traitors to the Militant State of Konoha Abound, Uchiha Itachi Has Issues, Uchihas and Their Trauma, gratuitous headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 29,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastleGachi/pseuds/CastleGachi
Summary: Sasuke can't breathe, "…you're an Uchiha."The man clamped a huge hand on Sasuke's shoulder, it gentled as the eye tilted in a watery smile, "We used to be. Once upon a time," he sniffled, a delicate glove brushed hair off Sasuke's temple, and Sasuke flinched.***Sasuke doesn't trust him. But the man said his cousin is alive, and he said he wants Naruto to be happy, and Sasuke can believe that. Besides, he'd never forgive himself if he didn't take this chance. He hopes Naruto agrees to join.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Obito & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Obito & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke & Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 16
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> This has been sitting on my computer for about a year now (wow), I kept rewriting it but I think not even posting the works I do finish is shooting myself in the foot, so - TADAA  
> This was actually a side project to a larger Naruto fic I have planned out, which I'll attempt to write again when I'm back in the fandom (it'll cycle back into my hyperfixations eventually).  
> I REALLY HOPE YÁLL ENJOY 
> 
> i luv found family ;-;

The hidden temple in the Nanako Shrine was right where he said it was. The dust hadn't even settled yet, untouched from the bloodshed above. The wax of the candle burned and stiffened his hand, the single warm flame flickered and dimmed, and a faint whistle of the wind sneaking beneath the tatami mat above.

Time had passed since his bro…since the world had shattered, and Sasuke visited the hidden room often. The secret room was solid and familiar, it had belonged to his family, but he'd only known about it _after_ , the stone walls held no memories, except for the faint desolate silence of emptiness. The emptiness was better than the terrible churn when he abruptly felt again.

Hot wax dropped and burnt the thin skin between his thumb and finger. The physical pain was alright, as well, better than when a flash of _before_ flickered and his ribs suffocated all the air in his lungs. _He should have died with them_ , Sasuke told the horrible stone tablet that'd decided their fates, if he'd had a choice, he would have died with them.

Itachi ordered Sasuke to kill him, ordered Sasuke to live until Itachi wanted to kill him too –

His skin prickled in unfamiliar chakra, a click of boots, and an unfamiliar breath of "ahh –" his mother's pained whimper echoed, and the flame wobbled, just as a darker shadow shifted at the end of the hall. The candle squished in his sweaty fist and with a flash of red his Oba-san and Oji-san choked, the hollow thump of the dead collapsing to earth, and the candle hissed out as Sasuke tried to breathe –

The little light from the uncovered tatami mat disappeared, and Sasuke knocked into the stone tablet's stand – _he's_ here to finish it, to kill him, like the rest of their family, dead, dead, dead, they're all dead – "…hello, little one," the darkness breathed and sharingan red twisted inches from his face, "…oh, it's um ok-um, alright it's not okay, but uh – please don't cry, please –" the deep voice wobbled, " – you're going to make us cry, hey- hey, it's all going to be ok –" he bubbled out a sob, " – damn it, oh no, oh no –"

The huge man hugely sniffled, and wood clacked before he blew his nose almost comically loud. The sharingan red fell upon Sasuke, affectionate and heartbroken, wet with sympathetic tears. Sasuke can't breathe, "…you're an Uchiha." Sasuke is not the last, he isn't alone –

The man clamped a huge hand on Sasuke's shoulder, it gentled as the eye tilted in a watery smile, "We used to be. Once upon a time," he sniffled, a delicate glove brushed hair off Sasuke's temple, and Sasuke flinched.

The candlelight flickered, the compassionately curved hand was heavy on his shoulder, and Sasuke's feels stones between his ribs, trapping his heart. He doesn't know why he…this Uchiha is here? He hasn't been weak though, he hasn't cried, it had been one stupid tear because… because he's scared – terrified. He doesn't want to be scared.

Sasuke glowered fiercely at the single red eye – swallows a stab at his own inadequacy for his lack of sharingan, their family doujutsu – the man mumbled something soft, muffled in his mask, before his hand slid from Sasuke, and –

The masked man's head tilted, as if dragged by an unknowable weight, before it abruptly snatched higher with an anxious laughter. The candlelight dimly shuddered, and the man rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah –" he whined," – we weren't supposed to meet you yet."

"What do you mean?" he suspected; voice unrecognizable as it croaked. The man was an Uchiha, he wouldn't leave, would he? Or if… had _he_ ordered the man to kill Sasuke? Is that _his_ plan? To keep killing him through their family? "…who are you? What's your name?" Sasuke demanded.

The man's excited laughter grated at the stone walls, blood red raised as the man stood, and Sasuke scrambled off his weak knees. The man couldn't leave! He grabbed at the darker shadows of the man's cloak, a brief whisper of cloth before his hand fell through; and the man clicked his fingers –

The candles lining the stone walls burst to life, and Sasuke flinched at the sudden light.

"We're Tobi!" the man embraced the world with arms spread wide. His black robe tied with a white obi at the hip, large uchiwa fan towered from his back – face hidden by a simple wooden mask with a single eyehole. Inside it – a fully evolved sharingan potently gleamed.

Idiot…he quickly fixated on Tobi's white obi, but what did it even matter? He is too weak to kill his brother, and he has no sharingan, so this could already be an illusion anyway, and it's already too late – "…did he send you?" he murmured, shaking fists flexed.

"Huh, who?" Tobi half-heartedly question, crouched slightly to check Sasuke's forehead for a fever – he flinched, back smashed into the wall, "Whoa!" Tobi smacked out a surrender, "You don't look so good, Sasuke-chan! Do you want to lie down, puke, pass-out? Please don't puke!" Tobi flapped.

"I'm _not_ going to puke," he growled – he can't remember the last time he ate; it didn't matter, "Did _he_ send you? Did my – did Itachi send you? Don't lie to me!" His voice is cracking, fear in each tremble as he burns with tears, and somehow he feels something flutter and build, and he doesn’t know why…"Did my brother send you?" he hitched.

"Nope!" Tobi's mouth popped, "I don't think Itachi-kun has enough independence to give anyone orders," he simply shrugged, sniffling back loud tears with the hand rubbing beneath his mask. He can hear the watery smile, "He won't ever come back for you, I promise!" Tobi tried brightly, and Sasuke felt all the weak parts of himself smack wetly to the ground.

He clenched the tear in his heart, mouth wobbled and unable to bite it still. He punishingly smudged back the traitorous tears, "Why are you here then?" Sasuke grumbled at Tobi's mud-stained boots. He wanted to go to bed but it's early still and mother –

Tobi bounced between the barren prayer pillows, the walls stillness shaken as he searched upward, so the stark afternoon light streaked across his flat mask, "It's a secret." Tobi importantly nodded, and immediately burst, " – BUT we've wanted to check on you guys for ages! We don't have to wait for _everything_ –" he gesticulated at nothing, mocking someone unknown said, " – to calm down, you know. We are going to take you guys, anyway –" he scoffed, like anything but was preposterous.

… _take you guys_? Who in Amaterasu is _you guys_? Take them where?

Tobi peeked up into the Nanako Shrine, and with a wild flail, clambered out. Sasuke dashed after him as Tobi's boots hoisted upwards and disappeared. His shadow moved but Sasuke didn't hear footfalls, "Wait!" He heard Tobi's affirmative hum, then delighted surprise and loud boots jogged off.

Who – just who is this guy!

Sasuke dragged back the stairwell, scrambling out on hands and knees, and winced in the blinding sunlight from the always sun-facing windows. A long shadow darted out of the shrine, "Oi, stop!" he hastily snapped the trap door, kicked the tatami mat over it, and raced into the streets of the compound.

The ghosts howled, and Tobi hums an upbeat tune, skips loud in the abandoned streets, and turns the corner eastward. Sasuke bolts after him. Forever aware and cautious of the immovable bloodstains.

Tobi hesitated in the phantom wrecked marketplace, abandoned stalls rustled in ghostly wind, hisses in splintered windows and creaks in nicked tables, the shadows contorted dispassionately; and, like always, sweat beaded underneath Sasuke's shirt, senses prickled and peeled back as an eternal siren wailed –

Tobi flippantly unfurled a scroll, "Ah-hah, here we go!" On it was a scrawl of a map in blue ink, something in Sasuke's stomach dropped, and Tobi rolled the scroll shut, before skipping further inward, " – la-dee-da, dee-da, la-la!" he bellowed carelessly.

Sasuke raced after Tobi, the loud and lively beacon in the barrenness that'd become Sasuke's existence, and Tobi jigged up a familiar stairwell. The police tape fluttered, and his breath stuttered, helplessly hissing out. "Hello! Anyone home?" Tobi called, right as Sasuke landed on the final step, and –

"Don't!"

– kicked in Shisui's door, "I'm home!" Tobi answered, waltzing though police tape, and vanishing inside Shisui's small apartment. In the doorjamb Sasuke shallowly panted, it smelled overwhelmingly like dust, and sweetly rotten incense, and the extremely spicy pocky Shisui had adored. His vision blurs around the familiar dark shapes –

Something thudded from Shisui's room, "Whoopsie," Tobi nervously chimed.

His nails bite into the doorjamb, "…what are you doing?" he growingly yelped, unable to step inside to ruin the phantom impression that Shisui will happily blink out of his room, and drag them into a firm, thoroughly embarrassing embrace, "Get out!" he heavily smudged back tears, "Get out!"

The wooden mask, somehow a picture of innocence, peeked out from Shisui's bedroom, " – eh, Sasu-chan, do you know where Shisui-sempai keeps his photo album?" Tobi ducked back into the bedroom, a chorus of appreciative snickers and whistles followed.

He smothered the dampness on his cheeks, and stuffed the helplessness underneath the clasp in his throat. 

In the duo kitchenette/living room is a lone bookcase, shadowing the soft couch, where he'd once accidently elbowed Itachi awake, an incident that had Shisui teasing Itachi for ages after – and somehow it gives Sasuke the minute confidence to step inside…and he stumbles at the memories etched into the cramped apartment.

The warmth of them all suffocates him, then the acknowledged death of it, and so the head-rush abandoned him, breathless and heartbroken and more alone than before. He carefully inched around the furniture, subdued until a lamp warningly swayed, and he settled it with a rapid heartbeat. His mouth wobbled as he searched Shisui's bookcase. The photo album is still where Itachi had tucked it in –

He shakily stroked the spine. The only friction that of polished leather, he doesn't know why he expected it to hurt. Had Itachi already been thinking about…?

"Eh, did you find it Sasu-chan?" Tobi hollered from Shisui's room, less than seven feet afar, and Sasuke hastily nodded. He reined in a tremble as the album slid, heavy and full, into the cradle of his arms, "Great! Bring it here, bring it here!" he chirped.

Sasuke carefully braced in Shisui's bedroom door, and Tobi hastily grabbed at it – Sasuke tightened his hold, shifted out-of-reach. Somehow, he can tell Tobi is fiercely pouting, "Sasuke-chan –" he whined, kneeling upon a storage scroll with a heap of Shisui's belongings piled at the center, "– come on, hand it over. Don't you want to make Shisui-sempai happy?" he delightedly chirped.

The leather of the photo album creaked, "…Shisui's dead."

"Uh, really?" Tobi considered with a head rub, semi-befuddled, "Are you sure? Do you think someone found our hideout, Sasu-chan? It _has_ been an hour – oh no, Shisui-sempai!" Tobi wailed in extravagant heartbreak, and Sasuke's intentions fried.

"Shisui's dead," he stated, a haunted fact, a vicious truth, "Itachi killed him. He's dead." The first in the sudden and long line of deaths. Dead like everyone else who had mattered.

Tobi squinted at Sasuke, unimpressed with what he found, " – and how do you know, short-stack?" Sasuke can't do this.

"Itachi murdered Shisui to –"

"Tobi doesn't think he did~" he giggled, delighted at the contradiction, "Are you going to give Tobi Shisui-sempai's photo album now? It's important –" he chirped.

"– to become more powerful than everyone, to test his strength, and then –" he reported, an unstoppable horror reel," – he killed our family, everyone," _except me_ , and Sasuke accidently bit into his cheek, the blood pooled beneath his tongue and Obaa-chan wheezed, a smatter of blood at her mouth –

"Ah, don't puke! **_Please_** don't puke on Tobi!" he begged, and Sasuke couldn't swallow, dashing to empty his mouth out in the kitchen sink.

The cold stream trickled to a close when Sasuke shut the tap, diluted blood and bile swirled in the forgotten breakfast bowl – his cheek twanged.

The convoluted chakra spiked, then compressed, "All done!" Tobi cheered, rolling the storage scroll up with a flourish.

The album Sasuke had abandoned on the elevated kitchen table had vanished. The small red figurine still smiling happily at the center of the table. That had been a present from Itachi, hadn't it? "Okay –" Tobi clapped, and Sasuke jolted.

The blood red fastened, "– Tobi needs your help. Please help Tobi, Sasu-chan," he rasped, abruptly deep rather than bell-like. Sasuke wouldn't dare trust Tobi, understands that like breath. But Tobi is the last of his family, an Uchiha, and he said he'd seen Shisui _an hour ago_ , and if this is a stupid illusion, or a lie, he'll –

But if it's the truth, he has to take the chance.

Sasuke nodded once.

Tobi sunnily beamed, "Yes!" Then raspingly laughed, "Tobi is going to kill a bad man now –" and killing intent, an unintended waft, shirked claws down Sasuke's spine. The strength of it curdled his stomach, and bristled his hair, " –and you need to find the Jinchuuriki!" It wasn't at Sasuke…it wasn't, idiot, breathe!

He swallowed thickly, don't be pathetic, "…the Jin-chuu-riki?" the killing intent dissipated with an affirmative hum. Dusk was beginning to settle, and the shadows of the telephone post engulfed through the small kitchen window, stretching over the counter to the couch. 

"The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki –" he absently added, and squinted as Sasuke merely shuffled, " – you know, Uzumaki Naruto-chan?" What…Naruto? Tobi's chest puffed, hands braced upon hips, stare firm to the future, "He's the son of Tobi's best friend's sensei, you know!" he determinedly cheered.

The dreaded realization wraps around his shoulders, an ice-cold cloak – Tobi is dangerous and, probably, delusional. He should've informed the authorities, even the Hokage, when Tobi suddenly appeared; he should play along, take the chance, then bolt. Tobi's head tilted, "Sasuke-chan?"

His fists clench, "Naruto. What do you want with him?" he asks, in trepidation, with something unknown unearthing from between his ribs.

Tobi haphazardly giggled, sheepishly shrugged as if nothing could be done about the fact, "…we want to make him happy, Sasu-chan. We can protect him, take care of him –" he shook his head, and simplified in a teary star-shined voice, "– he deserves happiness, and it'll make us happy to look after him."

In the corner of his sight, his hands shake. That – it sounds… "And what about…Shisui? Is he –?" he thickly swallowed the lump in his throat.

No one is blind to the hatred pinned to Naruto's back. The stark loneliness always pooled in azure blues, a ting of acknowledgement and he's cheerful, blessed with it, his forever outstretched hand slapped down, again and again and again, and Tobi wants to intervene, finally do something about it –

Tobi laughed and flapped a hand, "Shisui-sempai wants you too, Sasuke-chan. That's why I'm here!" Tobi is also his cousin but Sasuke doesn't mind sharing, especially if it means Shisui is alive. Besides if he leaves with Tobi, then it'll – he doesn't want to abandon Naruto alone here…

He muffled a nervous snort, cheek wound dully twanged; he's thinking too highly of himself. But it doesn't really matter if Tobi is lying or telling the truth, it doesn't. It's a chance, a hope he hadn't dared dream, for both of them, and Sasuke…? His fists flexed and something not-awful fluttered in his chest.

"I'll talk to him," Sasuke fastened on the blood red. Tobi hollered and daintily twirled, clapping his hands in quick succession, "But it'll be his choice. You can't – you can't make him," Sasuke demanded, offensive stance automatic, and Tobi rapidly nodded, head near detached in his enthusiasm. 

The something not-awful fluttered ever wilder.

Tobi sniffled and a huge hand flexed on Sasuke's immediately stiff shoulder, "You're a real good kid, Sasuke-chan," his deep voice wobbled, and Sasuke scowled off the fluster heating up his throat. Tobi tearfully snickered –

And, through the strict hand abominable chakra prodded and shelved itself inside Sasuke's chakra system, "There we go –" Tobi cheerfully hyped as Sasuke's breaths hitched, fought off Tobi's hand, shoulder deadened beneath the weight of foreign chakra, " – now Tobi will be able to find you!" he jazzed, and finally free, Sasuke knocked into Shisui's kitchen cabinet, a hand towel twisted underneath his heel.

Tobi was cloaked in dusk shadows, a slice of sputtering streetlight flickered warmth upon the blank wooden mask, and illuminated a dissecting blood red. It tilted in an unfelt and broad smile, " – ah, we should have probably asked first," he nervously scratched the wooden chin, and pitifully bowed his head, " – we're sorry Sasu-chan. Could you forgive us? Please, we'll –

"We'll remember not to next time!" he brandished, head raised and chest puffed, a samurai beckoned by the break of dawn. He cannot trust Tobi. Sasuke's arms folded shut, shoulders hunched and head ducked as he thumbed the leather of his elbow.

The streetlight fizzled and flickered.

The blood-red flashed, "Tobi has to go kill a bad man now. So – get ready? To leave – with Naruto-chan, okay? You said you'd help Tobi…"

 _Instincts –_ Ryouta-jiji had hummed, an orange peel cradling around his hand as he skinned it via knife, and shouldered off the summer heat – _are sometimes all that comes between you and the Shinigami's robes –_ he'd handed Sasuke an orange peg, dark stare forceful, beard coarse and wistful – _Listen To It_ – he'd demanded. But obviously Sasuke's was broken, because he hadn't known Itachi…

He harshly pinched his elbow. Instincts didn't matter, because if he didn't take this chance, if Shisui really was alive, then he'd never be able to forgive himself for dragging his heels. Tobi jittered, shoulders slouched, "Um, Sasuke-chan?" he worried, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

Sasuke's fists clenched, he forcefully nodded.

And Tobi excitedly laughed, "Excellent! See you soon, Sasuke-chan!" he rainbowed a wave, the blood-red flashed and Tobi twisted into a whirlpool, and dematerialized. From outside, the streetlight hissed and the dusk hissed as it settled.

His hands flexed, had…had Tobi done that with his sharingan? Maybe, he could've saved Shisui from Itachi…

The windchimes of barren houses belled, clouds drifted and the full moon pulsated, as Sasuke respectfully closed Shisui's door. His forehead bowed to the frame, murmured a short apologetic prayer at the disturbance – and released the handle. Just in case Tobi had lied about Shisui…

He speedily jostled down the stairwell and marched, stare fastened forward, purposefully past Ami-Obaa-san's bookstore and Chiro-Ojii-san's café, the shallowly watered and cracked fountain, Jiro-Oji-chan and Kensuke-Oji-san's bachelor apartment, and Mira-Oba-san's garden, and Sakami-Ojii-san's house of mismatched wood, to Sasuke's lifeless home.

Their garden gate loudly creaked, disturbed. The door rustled, irritated, as Sasuke opened it, "I'm home," he mumbled, laid his sandals to rest, and clambered to find Itachi's old mission backpack –

He packed only the essentials, a few clothes, a few weapons, a few ration bars, a toothbrush, toothpaste, the only family photograph he kept displayed (carefully folded to hide Itachi's lying smile and his father's hand), and tied on his makeshift shinobi boots, before he stepped into the dissatisfied wind.

The stark porch light sizzled, the traditional lines of the Head House settled into the dark shadows, finally in its rightful realm, barren like the rest of the Uchiha Compound. The gate groaned disapproval as Sasuke steadied himself in a low, drawn-out bow, "I'll be back," he whispered, to the dead husk of their home. Their home had deserved more Uchiha than what was left.

Sasuke shoved out of the Compound, the full moon glowed overhead, that something not-awful quickened his footfalls until he hit the main streets of Konoha. Inside homes family lights dimmed and peaceful dreams filtered out, streetlights warmed the pavements, and shinobi patrols knocked over rooftops, the only life, apart from the handful of adults heading out or heading home.

He tucked into his high collar, fist fastened around the backpack strap, and skirted beneath the little attention he received to search for Naruto. The dead-last loser that Tobi wanted, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki (whatever that really meant), the one that made it easier for Sasuke to breathe – that idiot, Naruto.

The hours dragged and sweat trickled down Sasuke's back. The inadequacy and anxiousness simmered. He'd thought Naruto lived at the orphanage, but the matron abruptly disavowed that. He'd checked the ramen stand Naruto hollered and drooled about, where Sasuke had once spotted him, but the few patrons were silent.

Since then Sasuke had been manually scouting each street, destined to be empty-handed when Tobi swirled into existence whenever he'd finished with – in frustration, Sasuke asked the twinkling stars for ideas, and found a dot of gold on the Fourth Hokage's head.

Of course the usuratonkachi was at the Hokage Monument well-past midnight.

Sasuke ran to the Hokage Monument, up the pointlessly scenic and winding stairwell, and panted onto the roped fence, steadying himself from a dizzy spell. He swallowed bile and hastily jumped the fence, landed upon the Fourth's head. …where is he?

The worst of the mountainside and nighttime chill was unexpectedly warded off by the spiky outcrops that made the Fourth's hair, and with a backdrop of the slumbering village, streets emptied but colorful in the dim warm light, it was almost pleasant. And, there Naruto sat, his hunched back lightly heaving with each breath, "Naruto –" his mouth dried as –

"Gah!" he yelped, flailed forward, and scrambled to his bare feet, "I'm leaving, I'm – huh, Sasuke?" Naruto hugely yawned, tonsils clearly visible, smacked his mouth, and smudged back sleepy tears, "What are you doing here?" he grunted a slouch. Then rapidly blinked, trying to wake up, "And why do you have a backpack? Are you going somewhere, teme?" Sasuke is probably imagining the hint of trepidation, so it doesn't stop his mouth from blurting –

" – were you asleep? Up here?" he purposefully lathered disdain, like Kaa-san did when someone made a fool of themselves and tried to drag her down with them; and he scoffed, like it'd be funny if it'd happened, "You nearly died waking up just now," his heart thundered, and he's irritated that it isn't due to the trek, "Idiot."

His brandished finger heatedly shook at Sasuke's face, "You're the one who nearly killed me, you bastard!" Naruto hollered. Then huffed and folded his arms, the breeze whipped blond hair and oversized pajamas. Naruto scowled at his scuffed bare feet, "…what the hell do you want, teme? And where the hell are you going anyway, huh?" he peeked out a blue eye.

Sasuke agitatedly shrugged, he didn't know where they'll be going and it didn't matter – but he wants to ask this right. Except he's only ever interacted with Naruto in attempts to shove him off, distance and disdain himself – so his hands fist, and – "Come with me."

He instantaneously flushes. He hadn't – Naruto hugely blinked, "Uh-h, bastard? Are you feeling okay? What the hell does that mean?" – he hadn't meant to say it like that.

The trees rustled, and Sasuke denied the heat that'd closed his throat, hands stuffed in his pockets, "I meant –" he doesn't look at the scarred scowl, the extravagant furrow, " – that a man came to me today, and he said – he said he wants to take us, from here, you and me –"

" …take us?" he whined, drenched in disbelief, but he'd taken a footfall forward, and Sasuke shied a look at the big blues fastened upon him – his skin pebbled with goosebumps, "Who…What? He wants _us_?" Naruto suspiciously hissed, a string of fate he had to prod and knot and interrogate, "Is this some kind of joke, bastard?" he yelled.

Sasuke firmly scowled, and shook his head, "Don't be stupid. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't – look," Sasuke growled. Then beseeched Izanagi, it had to be the truth, make it the truth, "The man said that my cousin's alive, and that your father's student wants to look after you –" a whine choked from Naruto's painfully vulnerable features. His fists clenched, "– he said he wants to make you happy," Sasuke enforced.

"…ha-ha, that's not funny you bastard, I don't have a – _me_?!" he scoffed, tearfully. His cheeks dripped in waterworks, a cosmic prank he couldn't help but fall for –

"You're Naruto Uzumaki," Sasuke braced a hand on his cocked hip, "Aren't you?" The idiot was being so disbelieving _Sasuke_ was beginning to think he'd been mistaken. His blues twinkle – and Sasuke's throat closed, unable to look away – even as laughter blubbered out and Naruto scrubbed off tears –

His shoulder abruptly dropped, and a dark shadow spiraled, "Huh? Oh hello Sasuke-chan and, oh –" it definitely was Tobi that'd happily startled, hands lovingly pressed to his own heart, but the dark robe was ripped, the fan lost, the white obi stained in blood, " – oh, Naruto-chan, look how big you've gotten!" he sounded teary-eyed.

The blues popped and he goofily gaped, "…um," and Sasuke refused to smother a snort, not that Naruto even noticed.

His sniffle sounded painful and the deep bells of his voice wobbled, and croaked, "Tobi remembers when little Naruto-chan fit into the palm of our hand –" he cradled the air, and something bloodied and white glinted beneath his thumb – he yelped, and a small spiral twisted, " – ah, shouldn't have let you see that!" he chided himself but Sasuke had frozen because –

"Was that an _eye_?!" Naruto appalled, mostly horrified, partially fascinated, "Why do you have another _eye_? Where did you put it? How did you do that?" he hollered.

"Ah-h!" Tobi sympathetically yelled, hands flapped, "The bad man stole it from Sempai, so Tobi's giving it back –" he sucked in a bottomless inhale, hands clasped in meditative peace, " – but that's not important right now!" Tobi deemed; finger brandished skyward. Then importantly shook his head, and braced hands to knees, ducking to Naruto's level, " – what's important is you!"

In an instance the enthusiasm shriveled, he shied back, " – uh, me?" Naruto checked. Amatseru why is Naruto such an idiot? Wait...this 'bad man' that Tobi had killed, had stolen Shisui's eye? The wind howled and pillaged, and Sasuke hunched. He hadn't thought Konoha could feel less safe than it had after Itachi had – a bloodline thief, in Konoha!

"Yes you –" Tobi enthusiastically laughed, heartfelt as a delicate hand drew Sasuke into the fold, hulking figure hunched and cozily warm," – you and Sasuke-chan! He's as silly as his papa, isn't he?" Tobi shimmied a shoulder, cheerfully including Sasuke in the tease, as if Sasuke knew who Naruto's parents were. As if anyone knew who Naruto's parents were…

He discreetly rubbed his doujutsu-free eyes, they ached – maybe it'd been for the best that he hadn't unlocked their bloodline limit yet – a bloodline thief! He heard Naruto's tearful sniff, and squinted at Naruto's telltale chin wobble, hiding the waterworks behind a forearm, as Tobi sympathetically whimpered, "Oh, Naruto-chan, what happened? Tobi is sorry –"

Tobi shuffled Sasuke forward as he tightened their huddle. His mask implored upwards, to tearily smile at Naruto's drenched blue eyes, "Hey there, Sweetest Pea. Tobi didn't mean to upset you. If you tell Tobi what it was that we did, then we'll try our very best not to do it again!" he steadily inhaled, and beneath Tobi's body-warmth Sasuke felt himself be soothed.

Naruto's smile is huge and fragile, cheeks scrubbed red, blues twinkled, unashamed by them both as he ducked to find Tobi's single sharingan, "Do you…you know my dad?" he questioned in a tightened squeak, and for all the suspicion lingered, his will to believe overpowered it.

Tobi startled a splutter, "We – of course, My Mochi Ball. Everyone –" Tobi looked down, shuffled his feet, and the gravel of the Fourth's head bristled. He chirpily tried, a breeze away from tears, " – how about your Okaa-chan? There's no reason not to tell you about your…" he trailed off at Naruto's huge blues, his chest heaving in unstable breaths as the waterworks started off again, " – oh, Naruto-bõ…"

And Tobi engulfed Naruto, a huge protective shadow who'd swallowed all but the vehemently shaking blond spikes, and Naruto instantly sobbed. Tobi's breath sympathetically hitched, "Your parents loved you so- _so_ much –" he sniffled, and pressed kisses to Naruto's head somehow uninhibited by the mask, a hesitant fist peeked out to grab at Tobi's robe, " – Tobi was there, so Tobi knows, okay? We promise, and Tobi never lies about a promise! Oh, sweetie, Naruto-kun, Tobi is so sorry…"

Sasuke looked away, uncomfortable, somewhat pleased but disquieted by that, the backpack strap creaked in his fist and –

Tobi's hand shot out and three shuriken clinked, dangling off his gloved fingers. Tobi sniffled and squeezed Naruto's shoulder to take a better look at the near-fatal weapons. "Um –" Naruto viciously scrubbed red-rimmed blues to confusedly blink at the shuriken on Tobi's fingers, " – did someone lose this?" Tobi called in bafflement to the forest.

Three ANBU abruptly surrounded them, successfully backed them into the cliffside, and Sasuke's fear trembled his mouth. "You have intruded into Konoha land, attempted to kidnap two Konoha citizens, and assassinated a Konoha Elder –" Naruto inhaled, in a panic, his fists clenched in the burnt cuff of Tobi's robe, " – lay down your weapons, and come peacefully or Konoha's Elite will –"

Tobi anxiously rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh jeez, you guys sure do have a lot of rules here –" he sheepishly laughed, " – we did sneak into Konoha –" he granted, hands surrendered and somehow sweat beaded down his mask, " – but we wouldn't call it kidnapping –" he carelessly dropped the shuriken to click his fingers, " – and that bad man was really, _really_ bad! My best friend thinks you should be thanking us!

"Besides –" Tobi tearily smiled down at Naruto, " – Naruto-chan hasn't even decided if he wants to come with us yet!" Tobi absently waved at Sasuke, and he followed it, gladly hidden behind Tobi's hulking frame. Tobi happily ruffled a few blond spikes, like he couldn't help himself, and removed his hand, "So – what'll it be – Naruto-chan?" he awaited.

Naruto cast a nervous look at the ANBU, and chewed his own mouth – Tobi's chakra weighted, an abrupt heavy pressure that popped Sasuke's eardrums, and the ANBU stilled. Tobi carelessly hummed, and wind rustled through Naruto's fluffy hair.

Naruto's blues sparkled upon Tobi, to the air of relaxed reassurance and infinite patience, and drifted to land on the rigid ANBU – and Sasuke's ribs constricted at the contemplation there. Naruto's jaw soldiered, "I'll be back – I promise," Naruto declared with a huge smile. It didn't reach his eyes, "I'm still going to be Hokage, believe it!"

The ANBU multiplied and flickered and Tobi hauls Sasuke into a bone-crushing embrace, and excitedly whooped – "hold tight!" – and tackled them off the Fourth's head, the world flipped, skies below and encroaching pavement above, his ears popped and Naruto screamed, and Tobi's exhilarated cackle sang as he squeezed –

The world flipped again, into a dizzying smear of grays, and then Tobi twisted, and the world abruptly hardened beneath Tobi's boots.

His heartbeat yells, creatures of paradise drift in and out, as Tobi softens his hold, wiggling his behind, " – we're so happy," he lightly sobbed, slowly drawing back to keep them steadied, then smudged back tears from beneath his mask.

Sasuke locked his knees so he didn't fall, while Naruto dangerously wobbled, flopped back, earth puffed debris, and he breathed at the stars overhead with a "...whoa…" because suddenly it's humid and dark, and there is mud beneath his feet.

Then Naruto abruptly held his middle, as it loudly rattled. Sasuke's stomach churned, sweat instantly clinging to the back of his neck.

"Oh, you two don't look so good –" Tobi helicoptered, a hand on Naruto's knee as he curled fetal-like into himself. The mask beseeched up at Sasuke, " – you're also very green Sasu-chan. Do you two need to puke? Tobi would really prefer it if you didn't –"

Naruto's stomach delivered a loud, uncompromising sound, " – ugh," he blanched a pallid green – Sasuke's queasily sympathized. That jutsu had been powerful, and he's so weak it'd off-balanced him. His skin prickled in the faint moonlight chill; a dampness clogged his throat – but he refused to barf. He's already done that at Shisui's –

Tobi fussed, and rainforest critters chirped back, and scurried off. He forcefully unhunched and forced himself to be alert, be aware. It was an unfamiliar place, a rainforest – the leaves cast humongous shadows, a huge centipede funneled into the underbrush, the air was almost unbearably moist –

He flinched at Tobi's large hand – "Let's head home, Sasuke-chan," Tobi happily murmured – and Sasuke scowled, fist tightened on his backpack. He had made his choice. Sasuke followed with untrained footfalls, and –

Naruto hissed, " – shit," and hopped on a barefoot, his other black with dirt and tangled in a vine, "I'm coming, I'm coming – don't get your knickers in a twist, bastard." Naruto triumphantly chucked off the vine, and braced hands on his hips, in determined perseverance, as Sasuke scowled – what idiot left the house barefoot?

In a shadowed blur Naruto is hoisted onto Tobi's shoulders, "Oi, Naruto-chan! Tobi didn't notice you don't have shoes! It's dangerous to leave the house barefoot, Mochi-kun, you could have stepped in –" a long, overdrawn list is babbled out, and Tobi carried forth into the shadows.

The idiot briefly startled, limbs awkward, grip uncertain, mouth gape (like an idiot) in a hesitant mumble – thankfully though he kept his mouth shut and Tobi walked onward, endless jabber disturbing the rainforest's chorus. Sasuke followed.

It's another footfall in front of another, over a downed tree trunk, around a voluminous mushroom, limbs exhausted – "…Tobi will make dinner at home! We found some daikon yesterday –" he cheerfully chirped, and continued onward like all was well in the world.

In the dark moonlight, Naruto bites himself to hold an interruption back, the adoring wide-eyed smile pressed into Tobi's bunched down collar. His heart thundered, because Tobi had – he'd just said _words_ , and Sasuke had believed it, like an idiot. He is so weak and so desperate to believe that Shisui might be –

Tobi is definitely powerful and (if ANBU are to be believed) has killed a Konoha elder – he has to be stronger than Itachi, right – he has an impenetrable mask, and claimed to 'have been' an Uchiha (which, what does that even mean?) and he'd kidnapped (obviously they'd agreed but…) two shinobi-to-be from right underneath ANBU's nose (he'd scared them before, hadn't he, with his chakra…) and now –

They have to be hundreds of miles from Konoha and Sasuke had so easily been distracted from his purpose, _what he had to do_ , by the unsubstantiated claim that Shisui could possibly –

"Hold tight Ducklings!" a thick, powerful arm hefted Sasuke around the waist, and hoisted him over a steep incline, a stretch of stone wall greeted them, as he is thankfully set on his feet. Tobi fussed at the dead-end, "Ah – Tobi forgot! How did it go? Three, and then – uh, seven?" his compounded chakra repeatedly flared, and he nervously chuckled, "Okay, not that so –" Naruto slid off Tobi's back, as he continued to ramble.

His bare-feet crinkled dried leaves, as he squinted at Sasuke, "Oi, what's gotten into you, Bastard?" Sasuke glowered at him, and Naruto stuck out his tongue. He's so obnoxious – "Hey, Tobi-nii-san?" his ribs clenched – it could all still be a lie, what an idiot, "Are we going to see the bastard's cousin now?" he hollered, and Sasuke's racing heartbeat stumbled.

"Hm? Oh –" Tobi absently hummed. Then waved off a thought, mischievously giggled, and outstretched two large hands, " – follow me, and soon find out!" he rasped, as if it's the tail end of a ghost story. Shisui liked ghost stories, he'd only told Sasuke a few – he hadn't admitted they'd scared him – and his bro…Itachi had only been a little bemused.

Naruto whooped and happily held Tobi's hand. The other hand squeezed welcomingly at Sasuke, and Naruto, without an inch of hesitation, grabbed Sasuke's closest hand, and dragged him forward, "Come on, Scaredy Cat!" he squeezed Naruto's hand back painfully hard, and grabbed Tobi's free hand.

"I'm not a scaredy cat," Sasuke hissed at Naruto, and even though he winced at the hold, he didn't let go – instead Naruto snickered, winningly.

Tobi's back hunched with giggles, "Aww ~! Tobi didn't know you two were best friends," he dreamily chimed, and Sasuke instantly stiffened as Naruto threw his hand. If Naruto had taken a millisecond longer Sasuke would've done that too –

"We're not!" Naruto squawked. His blues shoot an almost unreadable look (irritation definitely, askance?) at Sasuke. He grunts a light guffaw in retort, and the steam coming off Naruto fumes. Tobi continues to giggle and tugs them closer, until his back literally sinks into the stone behind.

"Don't let go," Tobi cheerfully chimed, he squeezed their hands and pulled, as his wooden mask is swallowed. He shares a faintly alarmed and wholly determined look with Naruto, and they're yanked into once-solid rock. 

The rock felt ice-cold and is deathly dark, a faint tingle like something was riffling through his body. The only firmness the pressure on his hand, harsh chakra slammed into him, and –

The world brightened in a stark light that simmered, electrical and pinned to a craggily cave wall, a makeshift kitchen – shelves carved from stone, a broken chair and wooden table, a half-full jug of water on an outcrop – and a dip behind a wall, from where warm light illuminated –

He cannot stop himself from searching for Shisui –

"We're home!" Tobi hollered and twirled, a lovestruck figure in a field of roses, he clapped, "Now, how do we feel about showering before dinner –"

"Tobi?" is the croak, and Sasuke lurched towards the dip behind the wall, from where warm light illuminated, " – Tobi, what…" an ice-electric chakra slammed into Sasuke – he hissed and staggered beneath it – it rippled back, slackened in shock, and Sasuke shoved behind the dip in the wall –

" – fuck – mini-chi? Sasuke? Sasuke!"

It…it doesn’t really look like Shisui. This teen in emancipated, skin pallid and scarred, hair a mess of licked curls, half-tangled in bed sheets – and white bandages heavily wrapped around his head. His mouth is abruptly dry, "…Shisui-nii?" Sasuke rasped – the teen smothered a sob, and smashed into his knees, hands near-frantic upon an immovable Sasuke –

" – oh fuck, m-my little champion –" the teen tearily laughed, the hands mapping out Sasuke's features and frame, " – is that you, Sasuke-chan? That's you, right, isn't it?" The ice-electric chakra pressed hard into Sasuke's, "Hey-hey, it's okay – I get it, I get it – fuck you're here – I'm happy you’re alive too, I'm so fucking happy m-Mini-Chi –" his familiar half-cocked smile is pained.

Sasuke abruptly felt waterworks on his cheek – oh – he's crying – and hyperventilating and – whimpering like an idiot, and Shisui's hands are strong on his shoulders, and goosebumps prickle, he feels sick and Shisui's bandages are bloodied but real, and his heart is simultaneously full and ripped bare, and it's Shisui – is it really Shisui here, alive, how did that – someone stole his eyes, and he's so shamefully relieved but Itachi had – that blood thief had stolen his eye, and he's actually alive – and it doesn't make sense he's so weak and so immensely paralyzing grateful –

"I don't get it," he choked, at some point, pressed into Shisui's throat, he's body-warm and alive, and holding on so death wouldn't haul him back –

There are damp breaths on his head, a faint stench of sweat and a familiar musk no longer parsed with dust and blood – wiry but strong arms wrap around him, press him tight to ribs with a live heartbeat, powerful and fast – a faint rumble as words that Sasuke doesn't understand are murmured – the hands wrap and lift, and he's tucked to Shisui's front, and curly hair tickles his temple and there's a shadow above them and –

"…hold still, Uchiha-san," Ichiyõ demanded. His chakra firm and unyielding, hands strict, and Shisui should be more focused – considering, there is a powerful shinobi stuffing his eyeball back in his head – but…

The little champion is a hollow weight tucked to Shisui's chest, joints thin, limbs tangled, breaths heaved and still erratic, tears have soaked through Shisui's shirt, almost feverish head dipped to his collar, fists frequently flexed – Tobi said Sasuke should be fine, with a little rest – but he hasn't responded for a while, and Shisui needs more definitive proof of that before –

Fuck, this is all his fault.

" – and, there we are –" Ichiyõ affirmed in a deep impenetrable voice, two rubber gloves snapped off in perfect precision. "You can peek – slowly, Uchiha-san," Ichiyõ tutted, and Shisui anxiously laughed, and winced out of his newly returned eyeball. The world is completely incomprehensible.

Ichiyõ disdained, "I suppose you cannot be fully blamed for the other's actions. So, I suggest you take great consideration to think upon where your loyalties lie," the heavy footfalls drifted off, "Before even more dishonor befalls yourself, and that traitorous clan." It's a definitive threat, so Shisui spared a dot of energy to smile at it, and Ichiyõ disapprovingly tutted.

The first flash of light turns his lid red and makes him flinch. The second made him shudder. The third ached deep behind his eyeball, like it's being itched by a rake on a blackboard. It hurts. He doesn't care. On the fourth peek he found the shadowed ball in his lap, and Shisui shakily brushes dark hair from Sasuke's silently feverish features.

…

There is a knock on the cave wall. The warm candlelight had dimmed, and Tobi hums a little as he switched it with a fresh wick, "Hey Shisui-sempai, how are you feeling?" Tobi softly asked. Like shit. He feels like a trash dump and if he's fortunate, the gods won't extinguish him when he's mercifully set aflame.

But he can see again. He'd missed colors and facial cues – now all he needed was their family's slate wiped clean, and the deaths his weakness had led to be reversed and he'd might feel a semblance of normal. 

"Fine," Shisui croaked.

"That's great!" Tobi brightly determined. The candlelight flickered and the shadows warped on Sasuke's baby-soft cheek, "Look, look –" Tobi is…taller than Shisui anticipated, and he might as well have stayed blind with how much that mask covered. But Shisui can still hear the broad smile, "We're twins! It's on the same side and everything!" he pointed at his own sharingan red eyeball.

He tries for a smile, knows it falls flat, "…yeah, thanks Tobi." For all that he feels like shit it is genuine, "You got Sasuke here. I guess – I guess I owe you another one…" Shisui tried to laugh. It rattled in his ribs, he winced and Tobi sympathetically hovered…

"You're family," he mumbled in the rasp of the dead, dread and anguish flickered in the sharingan red. His chakra has –

Sasuke's breath hitched, a familiar grunt awake, and Shisui drew a calloused thumb beneath Sasuke's bloodshot lid – the dangerously dark eye found him, sleepily, like Shisui's a phantom come to life. Shisui flickered a smile, "Hey there Mini-Chi…" Sasuke's fist tightened in Shisui's shirt and he hauled himself upward.

The little champion looked so fatigued, an almost angered stubbornness to his jaw, a deadness in his eyes. His small hand hovered around Shisui's newly-returned eyeball, where an impressive bruise swelled partially into his vision. He winced, and Sasuke's little mouth wobbled. "Eh, Tobi-nii?" a scratchy voice echoed, and Sasuke's shoulders stiffened, his head ducked into Shisui's threadbare collar.

There is something almost desperate about the fists in Shisui's shirt. Tobi bounded towards the curved entrance, "Did you have a good bath, brightest star?" and scuffed the towel off the kid's shoulders and into his blond hair. "Tobi will collect your things from Konoha and –" he popped up in thought, " – oh, OH there's a town not far from here, we can also go shopping if you want!"

This must be the Jinchuuriki. The Fourth Hokage's son, the last Uzumaki, the Pariah of the Leaf. The kid Tobi is determined to mother.

" – shopping?" he scratched out, shoulders hunched, but voice hopeful. The towel yanked off to reveal two huge baby blues, " – eh, Tobi-nii, is that Sasuke's cousin? Is Sasuke alright?" he whispered, very loudly, with twinkles in his blues as Tobi helpfully brushed a hand through the curly hair.

He cradled Sasuke closer, his bony knee was digging into his sternum but Shisui hardly registered it except as a reminder that his family is still here, curled into a ball and probably terrified, but alive and finally safe. He tried a more genuine smile, "…you must be Naruto-kun…Sasuke will be okay, thank you for caring for him…" Shisui rubbed Sasuke's back.

His little cousin shuddered, like a final tension had dispersed, and he flopped practically boneless into Shisui's soft fleshy bits. He'd gotten taller, and thinner, in the months that'd passed. Tobi grandly waved, "This is Shisui-sempai. He's extremely powerful and kind _and_ awesome… _and_ he makes delicious chili! Which we'll be having for dinner tonight, sunflower-bõ!"

Tobi gesticulated and dramatized as much as Shisui expected with how wind buffered at him and how the tonal shifts bounced. It was pretty entertaining… "Here, here –" Tobi shooed Naruto over to Shisui's bedside, " – how about you focus on staying warm and Tobi will heat up dinner – Dinner in Bed! Move over Sempai –" he hastily whispered, fluffing up pillows and ruffling up the covers, and Shisui scooted over with a huff, lugging Sasuke with him.

" – uh, I'll – I'll help you Tobi-nii!" the Ray of Sunshine offered, seemingly panicked at the idea of tucking under the blankets. They were about 20 feet into a rockface in a natural cave, so it was always chilly, and Shisui only had so much chakra to light a smokeless flame; body warmth would have to cut it. "I can – I can –"

Tobi clicked and pointed heavenward, at the uneven rock above, "All you need to do, my cherished child, is to stay warm! Tobi will take care of everything else," he expectantly waited, with immortal patience, for Naruto to clamber into the bed, an uncomfortable worry to his mouth. "There you go –" he hiked the blankets up to Naruto's chin, and Sasuke stuffed his face in Shisui's shoulder when it tickled his forehead, " – Tobi will be back with food, soon, Tobi promises!"

Naruto firmly nodded, like he was steeling himself. From the entrance of the alcove, Tobi mimed something extravagant involving cradling a baby and a heartbeat so hard it made you blackout, before throwing thumbs up. Shisui figured it meant try to relax Naruto, "…why don't you tell me what I've missed in Konoha since I've been gone, Naruto-kun?"

Tobi's thumbs skyrocketed so hard Tobi knocked into a wall but when Naruto looked, he'd vanished. His little hands fiddled with the blankets, "I don't know when you've left…" he mumbled, blues shifted to find Shisui's and then away, and then back, like he couldn't help himself but felt too uncomfortable to commit. Like he was barely hidden in enemy territory but thought he might've finally found an ally.

Shisui nonchalantly slouched, "…I guess it has been a while, I think – I think they were set to plant that Hashimada oak, in the square...?" His little chubby and scarred cheeks scrunched cheeks lined up in thought, and Sasuke shuffled so his elbow was lodged into Shisui's ribs. It is what he deserved…

"Uh – yeah!" he brightened and the world did with him, "There was this HUGE rainstorm, so the old people didn't plant it in the end, and then – and then –"

In the tiniest voice Sasuke interjected, "Itachi killed everyone." Oh, yeah – that…that…it…it still doesn’t feel real, sounds like a nightmare so deranged it just had to false in the daylight, but looking into the blacks of Sasuke's eyes, he's starting to believe it, and he doesn't like that, he doesn't like how terrified it makes him feel. 

He bundles Sasuke closer, clutched harder, at the little limbs and fast heartbeat that demanded the acknowledgement that his family is still alive. As if he squeezes hard enough the world will right itself. His unexpected life is not the last hope for the Uchiha… it's there – underneath, underneath that that he can just about imagine it.

"So…" his returned eye is wet, it's just a little blood, "…have you kiddies learned about the chakra system in the Academy yet?"

He lifts his head several minutes later to find Tobi at the end of the bed, hoisted to a stand like a demon looms over his shoulders, the hole in his mask a wet void. Naruto bounces, "Tobi-nii! Is that for us?" Tobi looks at the trayful of food in his hands, all precariously balanced, "It looks so good!"

"…yeah," is the slight rasp, and Tobi set the tray to stand on the firm bed. His laugh sounds terrible, "Dinner is served…" The fried noodles steamed and vegetables sizzled, spices familiar, the tenderized meat neatly skewered on Tobi's chopsticks as he dishes out bowls.

"It smells delicious, Tobi-nii-san!" Tobi's hands shake.

Sasuke's stomach is a nauseated knot so he reluctantly takes the bowl Shisui hands him, it almost smells like home and his dry eyes prick uncomfortably. Naruto makes a happy sound at each bite. Tobi's head ducks over his bowl before he winningly brushes through Naruto's still wet curls, "We're delighted you like it, dearest Naruto-kun!" Naruto's blues sparkle.

Shisui hums around a mouthful and Sasuke's throat closes at the familiar curry balanced on his thighs – it's different, this one has less vegetables and the color isn't identical, it's not and he shouldn't be – "It's good mini-chi, I promise…" Shisui exhaustedly smiles at him.

Sasuke isn't some baby, he firms his hold and spoons out a mouthful – flavor lights up, and Itachi huffs above steaming green tea, sunlight beams off his head, and Shisui nudges Sasuke more rice, mouth askew in a retort – and Sasuke's glad he accidently bites his tongue because it muffles a sudden sob.

"Of course, you can have more Naruto-chan!" Tobi hollers with a swipe at Naruto's empty bowl, he fills it to the brim and shoves it back. Naruto delightedly cradles it, "We wouldn't deny an Uzumaki food! You've got to replenish your reserves!" somehow through his wooden mask, he extravagantly winks.

Naruto has noodles overflowing from his scarred and chipmunked cheeks, it's gross, and Sasuke forces himself to stomach another bite. "Thanks, nii – wait, what –?" he choked and thickly swallowed, cheeks flustered in exertion, " – what do you mean, I'm – are there more of me – Uzumaki?!" Shisui neatly hands over a cup of lukewarm peach tea.

Naruto eyes it, like he doesn't know what it's for before he visibly startles and loudly chugs it. He gratefully smacks his lips in a huge smile, and his thanks is interrupted by Tobi's proclamation: "Of course, there are Plum Drop! Your clan founded Uzoshio!"

"My – founded – what-the-what, dattebayo?"

Naruto has a…has a clan, and they also founded a village. Is that why the villagers didn't like him? He wonders if they're as loud as him, and Sasuke shakes himself of the somewhat hysterical thought. "The Uzumaki clan, Naruto-bõ –" Tobi paints a scene with vivid arm gestures, " – on a small island in the Arashi Ocean, a fierce and heroic clan formed one of the first hidden villages!"

The idiot's mouth had dropped open and Sasuke grimaces at the half-eaten noodles inside, "What – what are they like? Are they – can we go visit them? That's so cool!" Shisui is stiff under him as Tobi thoughtfully clutches his chin, rapidly nodded.

"Tobi knows that the Uzumaki's have _huge_ chakra reserves –" Tobi dashingly winked at Naruto, and snickered, " – monstrous, even! And Tobi knows they're the best seal masters in the world and – and – they lived forever and – and Tobi is sorry he doesn't know anymore, Naru-chan!" he flailed but the world had vanished from Naruto's blues.

"… _monstrous_ … _chakra_?" he floundered, history flashed in his blues, scars wobbled. Sasuke took the chance to set his mostly untouched food aside, and Shisui allowed it, heartbeat thrummed a steady loud beat into Sasuke's back. He blinked rapidly, blues wet, "Can we – can we…?"

Tobi instantly deflated, a balloon popped of happiness, and Shisui's lips had bleached white, as Naruto's expression shut, hand clutched into his shirt. So, Shisui knew Naruto was part of a powerful clan, did all the adults know, is that why they looked at Naruto like that? Naruto is the picture of righteous indignation, finger brandished and chest puffed, "What - why not?" he demanded.

The look on Shisui's face is almost familiar, from all the villagers' faces when he stepped out of the compound. The face of acknowledged tragedy, "What happened?" Sasuke gritted, heart pounded cowardly.

Shisui's voice is deceptively light, "The Uzumaki founded Uzoshio, in the Land of Whirlpool, long before even Konoha was founded, and were Konoha's first and strongest allies. It was small, compared to what you and I are familiar with but strong, very strong…"

Naruto sniffled and smeared gunk on his Uzumaki spiral shirt, "But something went wrong, didn't it? ...something always goes wrong…" Shisui soothed Naruto's back, and Naruto trembled, head ducked.

Shisui smile softened, "During the Second Shinobi War, Kiri attacked Uzushio, and when Konoha heard about the attack it was already too late. It's said that over a third of Kiri's forces were defeated in the battle." Naruto's frown looked pathetic, and his heart ached. "But there are some persistent rumors that the survivors roam the shinobi nations as a nomadic clan…" Shisui offered lightly.

"So they could be alive!" he insisted, fist brandished and features desperate in their determination to will it to be true, "I'm an Uzumaki, and I'm alive so – so there could be – there have to be more!" he chimed.

Is this why the villagers hated Naruto, because his family belonged to another village? Sasuke is an A+ student, and he's never even heard Uzoshio mentioned before, and they were supposed to be Konoha's first allies? Why did the villagers hate Naruto so much? Why did Konoha strike the Uzumaki name from the history books? Why had everyone cared so much and so little about one orphan?

"It's true –" Tobi thoughtfully rubbed his masked chin, " – Tobi has heard about a few Uzumaki's," and Naruto vibrated so hard in excitement that the bed shook, and Tobi clicked as it came to him, "– the Leader of Ame is an Uzumaki."

"The Leader of Ame is an Uzumaki?" Shisui blinked. Tobi beatifically nodded.

"The Leader! Is that like a Hokage?!" Naruto bounced as Tobi didn't immediately deny it, exuberant and energetic, and Tobi thoughtfully considered and Sasuke hid a smile with a scoff at Naruto's holler: "I'm related to a Hokage!"

"Aw shucks course you are Naruto-chan –" Tobi huffed, "– your dad was the Fourth Hokage."

His dad was the –

"MY DAD WAS THE FOURTH HOKAGE?!"

"Ah! Of course, your dad was the Fourth Hokage –" he incessantly flapped as Naruto's blues bulged," – you look just like him! Tobi thought everyone knew that!" Then he folded and tapped his chin in thought – he brightened like a sunflower, and squished Naruto's scarred cheeks to a wide-eyed hiccup, "You do have Kushina-nee's chubby, _chubby_ cheeks though and her roommate of course –"

"Tobi-san…" Shisui instinctively interrupted and shook his head as Tobi pursed in thought, hands still squishing Naruto's cheeks in intervals, "…I think, we've all had enough…changes for today," he winced, tone mild but he's pressed to the heartbeat in Shisui's ribs, and Sasuke knew Shisui was far from relaxed.

Tobi thoughtfully thumbed Naruto's scarred cheeks, the lone eyehole pinned to Naruto's overwhelming convulsion of emotions. The teary blues wobbly smiled, near-adoration, into Tobi's gloved hands, "Can you –" his voice soft and heartbroken and hopeful, "– I – I wanna know more about my parents. My mum and, and my dad. Can you tell me please, Tobi-nii-tama, please?"

Sasuke burrowed deeper into Shisui's thin ribs, guarded in scrunched blankets. He'd never heard Naruto plead before, and it ached harshly, an animal coming out from the sun only to find creatures in the shadows. He felt weak but comforted in Shisui's hurt tension, and he hated it.

Tobi knocked his mask against Naruto's forehead. "Shisui-kun is right –" he mumbled, " – you should rest now, and I'll get you all your things from Konoha, and –" the mask chided against Naruto's forehead, hole gazing into watery blues, " – we have all day tomorrow – and the day after and the day after that and more! I'll tell you everything we remember about your parents, okay? Tobi doesn't like secrets –"

He sighed, the mask buffered, and thumbed at the delicate skin beneath Naruto's blues, a tear fled. For all Sasuke knew he shouldn't trust Tobi, he didn't think Tobi would actively hurt them. Tobi scrabbled a hand in Naruto's blond locks, "Sleep now, Naru-chan –" he cooingly wiggled his fingers at Sasuke, " – you too, Sasu-chan. Shisui-Sempai!" he saluted and skipped out of the alcove.

The upbeat tune swallowed in the distant hiss of an overdraft.

Shisui's ramrod shoulders drooped, bicep nudged Sasuke's head, "Eat something, Mini-Chi. Big day tomorrow," a shadow a bright smile bled, "You finished, Sunshine?" The blond restarted and swallowed the last bites into his mouth like it was burnt ash. The ceramic bowl clacked to a finish.

He forced a few tasteless bites and nausea curdled his stomach – "Hey," Shisui hummed, a firm hand rubbed his shaking back, and it was smaller than Sasuke remembered, "You did good, Lil Champion. You did so good…" Shisui whispered, and Sasuke tucked into Shisui's bony chest, his loud heartbeat thudded in Sasuke's head.

Naruto, head smooshed into a thin pillow, was already knocked out, soft snores puffed into Shisui's side, as his cousin scooted to lie down. He opened the newly-returned eye, bloodshot and blood-red, and smiled, "I'm so glad you're alive, Mini-Chi," Shisui kissed Sasuke's forehead, "We'll talk more tomorrow, 'kay?"

"…don't go."

"Hmm," a hand brushed through his hair, "What'd you say, Mini-Chi?" It hurt, it hurt to hear that stupid nickname he'd embarrassingly coveted, but it was evidence that Shisui was still Shisui. So, with each beat of relief it stayed.

The fatigue dragged and beckons him into a descent, but Sasuke held tight. "Don't go," Sasuke ordered, firm, fists blanched in Shisui's shirt.

Shisui's hand swallows the shakes in Sasuke, "I wouldn't dare," he murmured, hot breaths into Sasuke's hair, "I'm not going anywhere…" and Sasuke nodded into the steadied heartbeat, lids weighted and drooped in relieved exhaustion, and the sob – "…I'm so sorry, Mini-Chi…"

He dreams, the forest path to Itachi's favorite training grounds is malformed and warped, his hand is warm and alleviated and he trusts the firm palm on his, dazed daylight flitters between branches and birds happily chirp, bouncing and picking their feathers. He thinks there is something bad at the end.

He continues to walk.

In the morning, Shisui is there; and Naruto's is loud and throwing questions out, which are answered by Tobi's diluted chirp. The morning after, Sasuke wakes to Shisui's shuffle, "Go back to bed. I'm just going to get some water…" The day after, Tobi is dragging him and Naruto to a nearby town to shop, and it's only at Shisui's relaxed promise that Sasuke leaves.

It's the shortest shopping trip he'd ever taken, he vomited into a potted plant and is in a cold sweat from anxiousness but refused to return before they had to go again, so Naruto and Tobi raced about grabbing essentials, before taking them back to the cave. Shisui is there, at the kitchen table, absently sharpening a kunai with a cup of steaming tea in front of him.

Shisui smiled, "Hey, guys. You're back early," he said, and Sasuke's hands shake as he holds on, and he lets Shisui pull him into a firm embrace, trying not to cry into Shisui's clean shirt. The day after, when Tobi teaches them how to stitch their clothes so it's stronger than before, his words soothing and almost forged, Naruto is a little starry-eyed.

The day after Sasuke wakes up with Naruto's eyes red-rimmed, and a huge breakfast already on the stone kitchen table, his smile is brighter than any Sasuke has ever seen before. And, he thinks that's when something in his chest begins to loosen. Like this new reality is starting to sink in.

Shisui scrabbles a hand through Sasuke's hair, and absently corrects his stance, telling him to calm his chakra and go through the kata again. In the background glasses chime as Tobi sets a tray down, and Naruto abandons the kata to help Tobi bring everything in for an afternoon snack.

The day after Tobi tells them stories, voice deep and wistful, about the world and Naruto's family, delicately touching them both on the head as if to check if they're both okay, and later Sasuke sees Shisui place a firm hand on Tobi's shuddering back. "You're a good man Sempai," Shisui murmurs, and Tobi's back hunches further.

On the day after, Naruto drags Sasuke through the catacombs, and they find an outcrop bathed in the sunlight. The cliffside is steep, the world falling away beneath them, the forest alive and bright and green in the distance as fog hovers between the leaves, but inside the cave it's cool, and tight enough that it's just them above the whole world.

"I'm glad you asked me to come with you," Naruto admits then, quietly, into the slow rustle of leaves far below, thumbing a pebble with the tiniest and truest smile Sasuke's ever seen.

Sasuke presses his shoulder firmer against Naruto's in agreement.

The week after, Sasuke wakes to a frantic Tobi, "Ah – Shisui-Sempai! We've got to go – wake up, up, up!"

"…Tobi-nii?" the blond bed hair is fluffed as Naruto yawns, "What's happened?"

The electrical bulbs click in agitation, "Oh, bad-bad people know where we are –" he wrings his hands, " – Oh- um, we did something bad, hee-hee, before –" Tobi sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, " – please don't be mad at Tobi!" he surrendered.

The black of Shisui's sharingan eye twisted, "Who knows where we are? Tobi," Shisui gritted out. His calloused hand flexed on a chipped kunai, large hand steadied on Sasuke's head, as he clambered out the bed and clipped a kunai holster and stuffed his feet in shinobi boots.

At the continued sheepish silence, Shisui ordered: "Get dressed, quickly." Sasuke and Naruto scramble to comply, yanking on clothes and too-large weapons, shinobi boots, and Naruto pocketed three apples and tossed another at Sasuke. Shisui shouts, "…do we go? Tobi, where do we go?" it thudded in Sasuke's ears.

They betrayed Konoha – like Itachi – to be hunted and killed – Shisui stalks out of the alcove, sharingan-eye shut, "You kiddoes ready?" his kind features stony, and Sasuke would betray Konoha a million times if it meant Shisui is alive, and here, an arms-length at most. Shisui grabs two small boxes from hole in the stone, far too high for Naruto and Sasuke, and tucks it into his kunai holster.

"Good," Shisui informs, the steadiness of a mission in his hands, "We need to head East. There's an Uchiha compound in Iron – it should give us some breathing space while Tobi distracts them," Shisui's sharingan blinks to life, a terribly soft smile on his hardened mouth.

He cups Sasuke's shoulder, "I'll keep you two safe…" Shisui smiles over at Naruto, ruffling his hair as Naruto ducks closer, "…let's move out." Sasuke does not particularly care as to where as long as Shisui is there.

Shisui heads to a dark expanse of wall, "Maybe we could talk to them, y'know? They're probably just worried about Sasuke!" Naruto chimes, beam one-hundred watt, "If it's Konoha, y'know? If it's not then we can kick their asses, believe it!" Shisui cocked a practiced smile, it dragged, and Naruto beamed back.

His chakra flared, a rush of thrown fire, and Shisui dragged them both into a sudden embrace. "Hold tight," Shisui teased, and the darkness flashed into stark daylight, another flash, another flash on red eyelids, and Sasuke peeks out to see the world whipping, a flick of life until it hopped, again and again. He grips the arm around him.

The world flickered to a standstill; heavy heart thundered as he inhaled at the sudden tightness in his ribs. He really hadn't been using his chakra enough. His baby cousin's hand flexed, and Shisui released the kiddies, and petted Sasuke's disheveled head. He still looked so exhausted.

"Huh-uh, where are we, Shisui-san?"

The little Sunshine wobbled about, inquisitive and blue-eyed, "Close to Iron County," he heaved in a deep breath, hot steam fanned out, spindly trees surrounded them, frost powdered the sticks and stones, a mountainous range in the distance silently fumed. "…there's an old Uchiha compound a couple days walk from here-fuck…"

On the outskirts of Shisui's senses, chakras bled, an impression of mossy growth, and poisonous petals in the wind, and a raging waterfall into a steadied stream, and dark clouds a crackle before lightening attacked. "Fuck…" Shisui said again, with feeling, "…fu-u-uck." There's no time for that, "Stay behind me, okay?"

His head aches, his eyeball burns – he keeps it shut, as the minute chakra signatures prod to a halt in the forest around them. They are so screwed – so that hadn't been Tobi before, had it – it didn't matter, this is the situation and he can't defeat a fully-energized ANBU squad. His chakra is low, there's two kiddies in his hands and he hasn't had a real battle since his attempted murder.

"You can stop creeping, you know," Shisui called out, purposely light. He twisted as two of the ANBU touched down, while the other two split to surround them. Shisui tellingly followed one with his head, cocked his head at the other, and opened his returned eye at the two ANBU before him –

"Huh, hey! That's Inu –" Sunshine pointed and hollered, and poked out from behind Shisui, "Hi, Inu!" He tugged at Shisui's shirt, "Inu's sort of a creep but he brings me ramen and ve-ge-tables sometimes, mm ramen," Sunshine got distracted but shook it off, "You can go, though, Inu! Shisui-san is awesome, and Sasuke-teme isn't too much of bastard anymore, so –" he thumbed up, cheeks chipmunked in a cheeky dare.

It would've fooled anyone who didn't notice the sweat on his tanned brow. He does feel a distinct shiver in the mossy ANBU's chakra, a suppressed chuckle. He thinks – he thinks it might be Tenzõ. He hadn't been able to sense chakra like this before he'd been forced to when he'd lost his eyes.

His single eye shut in a purposely light smile, "You heard Sunshine. I don't reckon you'd mind letting us go," Shisui tried. His hands feel stiff at his sides, something twitched into the ANBU on either side – signaling to each other probably.

"Uchiha Shisui," Inu intoned, and Hatake barely sounded human let alone in a liberating mood, "You are hereby ordered to return to Konoha immediately to debrief." His fruitless hope that they'd be allowed to waltz out of here shriveled and died.

Shisui winced, "And if I refuse?" he felt an abrupt coldness in the ANBU's chakra that shuddered down his spine, and Sasuke's fist tightened in the back of Shisui's shirt, "It just doesn't seem like the best time to be an Uchiha in Konoha…" he kept his hands raised in surrender, close enough that he had a chance to snatch both kids and flash away if needed.

Hatake had to realize what Shisui meant here, he had to have at least suspected that the village would have the last of the Uchiha immediately killed. Inu didn't seem to care, "And yet, you still look remarkably alive for a man believed dead over a year and a half ago…"

Shisui tried not to wince, "Nothing a well-timed antidote can't fix," he readily supplied, a mock of complacency, and Sasuke's fist tightened in his shirt. He really doesn't want to air the truth out with Sasuke here, Shisui is only functional out of pure denial and, surrounded by ANBU unafraid to use lethal force on children is definitely not the time to dig into that open wound –

But better alive then dead, better having a chance then a permanent, horrible end –

Inu sternly intoned, "Return with us to Konoha for a debrief. I won't ask a third time –"

"I'm not taking my baby cousin back to be killed!" How can Inu expect him to do that?

"The man behind that is gone," Inu emotionlessly intoned.

His palms ached as his nails bit into skin, "You're smart enough to know that he's not the only one who signed off on –" he forcefully swallowed down the horror and choked out, " – on what happened."

Terror has scorched and hollowed his insides, and all that remains is the will to protect his family, the little fist tugging at the back of his shirt, the erratic breaths near his hip, the little bundle of electrical flames.

If the hunter squad took them in, then it'd be over, the Uchiha legacy destroyed, vanquished in a single year, so it no longer marred Konoha's glorious will of fire. Before it'd happened, it had seemed a steep and horrific act to consider but not too extreme, as Konoha had to come first, would always come first – perhaps he'd desensitized himself to the reality of it, hadn't wanted to consider it in full.

The reality was his entire family dead in their homes, there is no safety, there is no satisfaction at a mission accomplished, only a disease gleefully scrounging at his insides to pick and fester and bleed and gnaw if he is 'lucky' enough to survive it; one cousin a sacrificial weapon and the other a traumatized bystander – both destined to die after they'd fulfilled their roles.

It had all seemed so stoppable before he had been poisoned for dead.

He's shaking so hard his knees knack and Sasuke, always the little savior, presses into his thigh, holds him up, his heart pounding so hard that Shisui can feel it. Hatake hasn't attacked yet and Shisui steadies on Sasuke's ruffled bedhead –

Shisui will do anything and everything if it meant his little cousins lived to an old age.

"Take up your claim with the Hokage," Inu said, almost deliberately unbothered.

Shisui seized it, "You know what happened that night. You know what the Uchiha were planning. You know what the Hokage allowed –" he tried to soften, pleaded that his way with words made Hatake reconsider, " – you knew Itachi, you trained him! If there had been any other option, any other choice, do you think he wouldn't have taken it?"

Inu sighed, like Shisui was being particularly bothersome, "Irrelevant," and his chakra twitched, and the ANBU chakras solidified and circled, beasts on fresh meat, he'd failed –

"You'll be taking us to slaughter –" Hatake is an ANBU and that wouldn't tug at his heartstrings, " – the last of your teammates clan to slaughter!" The sharp lightning struck in Hatake's chakra and, behind Shisui, Naruto flinched. Tenzõ's chakra uneasily bristled.

The Uchiha had been proud and stupid and traitorous, yes, but to be eliminated…to be culled like a common pest by the village they'd help found?

Danzõ had coveted their bloodline limit, and he hadn't trusted the Uchiha to use it for his whims, so he'd had them killed – he'd harvested their eyeballs from his family's head and implanted them into himself! And, in the end, he'd won.

The Uchiha had died and Danzõ had stayed a well-respected member of the village that had been their home, free to whisper into the Hokage's ear until Tobi…

Even with Danzõ dead, was Shisui meant to believe the little family he had left wouldn't be accidently executed? Shisui is the last witness to what happened that night. His survival questioned the lie Konoha had spun, and Sasuke would never be truly loyal to Konoha – to them, he'd be a ticking timebomb the village would want leashed until safely destroyed.

Because the truth still meant war – perhaps a civil war, if the other clans revolted against the Hokage in protest – and it definitely meant Konoha's softer reputation was destroyed, which'd lower the business coming in, which meant less income and less export; and Konoha would be weakened and flustered, and ripe for invasion.

Shisui didn't want death in the streets. He didn't want death and destruction and _fear_ so inherit it blinded the truth of what actually mattered. He didn't _want_ to think death was a luxury anymore. He wanted the little family he had left to find happiness, to feel safety and be sane, and – it'd ached to think, but they wouldn't find it in Konoha.

"You're starting to get on my nerves Shisui-kun," Inu said bluntly, "Where is your companion?"

This might be good sign, or Inu might be taking advantage that Shisui had incentive to play nice before he's hogtied and hauled back to Konoha's guillotine. Shisui tilted a shoulder, "I don't know," he said carefully, "He told me this way was clear though…"

Tobi wouldn't lead them, especially Naruto, into Konoha's clutches, so whenever he got back to himself – he'd have them released. The Konoha nin didn't need to know that though. If they thought Shisui could be a potential source of information for a dangerous unknown, he might be able to strike a bargain (prolong the inevitable) instead of immediate torture and then death.

Inu's chakra is a low snappish thrum as he mulls. "Kuma, Komori, Hyo escort the Uchiha to Ichiyo-Go outpost. Uzumaki-kun with me –" That's good. That's good but –

Shisui set a hand on Naruto's fluffy head, kept it light, "Taking Naruto-kun immediately back to Konoha might not be the best idea…" He's probably burning the little grace they'd cultivated but it's a fact – the little sunshine is worlds apart from what he'd been only a few short weeks ago. He is so much happier now, calmer somehow.

Inu growled, "And why's that?"

Oh, he'd hit a sore spot. Sasuke latched on Naruto's wrist, dragging him a little further behind Shisui, and Naruto hissed while Sasuke shushed him. His whirlwind chakra rapid and burst. "Our companion might have told Naruto-kun some truths…" he winced as Inu's chakra painfully chilled, "…and I doubt he should be returned to his…previous setup."

Is there a more diplomatic way to call that sham of a prison, even inmates had someone to talk with, and Naruto is a little kid with such a big heart. He didn't deserve that horrid loneliness, the scorn of the villagers, and maybe Shisui felt guilty, for witnessing that and allowing himself the excuse that it'd throw his clan into even deeper water if he intervened on the little jinchuuriki's behalf.

The weighted chakra intensified and sweat beaded down Shisui's back. He felt abruptly lightheaded; the tension combined with the chakra he'd already expended taking them to Iron (across two borders and half a land) abruptly felt.

The little sunshine mumbled, a tearful sniffle bubbled out, "…um, it's okay Shisui-san, I-I – thanks, r-really -ouch!"

"Idiot," his baby cousin hitched, hauling Naruto back more fully behind Shisui, "You're not going back there alone." The little sunshine had a half-hearted protest to that but Shisui can feel how Naruto's chakra latched onto Sasuke's, held tight like a lifeline.

Inu's chakra bristled and the ANBU's followed suit, and well, he's fucked.

" –oh, Tobi is so sorry, Shisui-sempai! Tobi didn't want –" and the man tumbled out the darkest shadows of the underbrush, yelping as he mask-smashed into a puddle of mud. He hugely blinked up at the standstill, then shrieked to a stand, hands pressed in a plead, "Ah! Please don't run back to Konoha, Tobi is so sorry!" there is a distinct impression of waterworks, "Tobi didn't want to, and then someone was mean and took –"

The compounded chakra in Tobi convulsed, like it's regurgitating, and Shisui outstretched a firm hand onto Tobi's broad shoulder to try to hold it back, "Stay with us, Tobi-sempai, it's okay, really! See we're all safe and Naruto-kun is right here –"

Tobi hugely sniffled, a steady stream dripped off his chin, the threatening bubble-pop dimming to a low simmer, and – "Good, so we're all here," Inu intoned, and Tobi stilled, head cocked like a bloodhound, one bloodred eye singled on Hatake.

The compounded chakra imploded, and Shisui hissed beneath it, Tobi's chakra is almost visible like a heatwave as he carefully planted his feet beneath him and stood, "…bakashi," he murmured, and Inu stilled.

"Tobi…" Shisui tried. The chakra was no longer compounded, it was an enraged forest fire, and Naruto hissed and the ANBU attempted to suffocate it in a chakra blanket, which laughably failed as dark flames whipped, and –

"Stay the fuck away from my family, Bakashi!"

Who-was-once-Tobi full-frontal assaulted Hatake, and Tenzõ intervened with a slab of wood, Hatake's chakra is a shrieking storm, and who-was-once-Tobi plowed through the wood like warm butter, clawed branches crackling out of Tenzõ's manmade wood as he heaved forward, and "Sempai!" Tenzõ tried.

The ANBU tackle who-was-once-Tobi, only to sink through like a mirage, and Shisui does not look gift horses in the mouth, so he hauls a child in each arm, and shoves chakra into a body-flicker –

His knees buckle on slippery rock, a stream hisses nearby, and his hearing blanks as he chokes in a deep breath, his chakra flickering like candlelight in a breeze, "Shisui-nii!" Damn, it's been nearly a year since he woke up and he's still not at full strength, the poison had practically savaged his chakra coils and he feels irritatingly pathetic.

He steadies himself on the kiddies, small hands at his elbows and shoulders, and Shisui managed a feverish smile as his senses flickered, "You two okay?" he checked.

"If we're okay, Shisui-san?!" the sunshine hysterically yelped, "Do you want us to get you something? We can get you some mint, you look little sick, or – or find a cave!" Sasuke's fist is still tight in Shisui's shirt, his chakra an impression of fearful sparks. Shisui pushes himself to a stand, "You should rest Shisui-san, we can – we can wait for Tobi-nii to be better," Naruto tried.

Shisui knows Naruto is aware of the fact that it isn't Tobi in there right now. He is learning to tell when it's actually Tobi or…someone else by how Naruto reacts to them. With Tobi he's more relaxed, quick to sink into affection, attempting unafraid with any requests or ideas; and when Tobi is elsewhere, Naruto is a little quieter, a little more hesitant, a little more reflective after each soft conversation.

Shisui unsteadily stands, his ears ringing terribly and despite that he can still hear the fighting in the background, who-was-once-Tobi's yelled accusations and Hatake's electrical discharge, so they are far too close to relax. Despite his black vision, he finds Sasuke and Naruto's shoulders and squeeze softly, like all is well, "We’re not too far from the compound and it'll be safer inside –"

The wind whips and Shisui hauls the kids into the shadows as Hatake crashes hard into a tree trunk. The tree cracks and whines apart.

His stomach rolled sympathetically as Hatake rattled a wet breath, the dust billowed away to reveal the Inu mask cracked into thirds on Hatake's scorched lap. His shoulder is shredded with branch-like weeds, the tree behind him spliced and creaking beneath his weight. "Inu!"

Shisui caught Naruto around the shoulders, his other shielding Sasuke as his breaths hissed out. "We need to help him!" Naruto rebelled; heartbeat visible in his neck. Sasuke's little chest is heaving, he's definitely hyperventilating –

He needs to get them somewhere safe now.

Who-was-once-Tobi smashed opposite Hatake, his forest fire chakra raged ever hotter, destruction and chaos so potent it made the trees rustle and creak, "You really think I'm so stupid, Bakashi?" he rasped a chuckle, mask-less, and Shisui has the sinking realization that his suspicions were right – Uchiha Obito did survive his alleged death eleven years earlier.

His round features are pale and heavily scarred, his sharingan a traumatized bloodred. His black hair is spiked in excessive chakra discharge, and his eyelashes are thick and delicate. He looms over Hatake with broad shoulders, and it's so Uchiha of him that Shisui almost forgets to breathe.

"…I don't lie Obito, Rin –" Hatake hissed as Obito clenched his fist, and the overgrown branch embedded in Hatake's shoulder stabbed deeper into his clavicle. Of course, Obito had Mokuton, as if that was at all an option, what the hell had happened to him?

"Don't you say her name!" his voice cracked as he snarled, "Rin wouldn't –"

Naruto hurtled at Obito, and Shisui only overcomes his shock enough to haul Sasuke closer before he follows, " _Naruto_!" Sasuke hissed, tension quivered. The sunshine warm whirlwind is swallowed in Obito's oppressive forest fire, and Naruto skidded an arm's length from Obito.

The lone blood-red twisted over Naruto and the sharingan's backlash darkened the etched shadows of Obito's scars, "…Tobi-nii?" he tried, his shaking hands clenched into fists, head tilted to better find the steeled violence in Obito's features.

It's been months since he'd prayed at a shrine, but Shisui's hands clasped in murmured plead around Sasuke because Shisui has never seen Obito this angry before.

"…you're crying, Tobi-nii," Naruto sniffled.

Obito touched a droplet that clung to scar tissue. His gloved hand shakes. The black of Obito's pupil engulfs the blood red. Naruto reaches out for Tobi, voice tender, "It's okay to cry, Tobi-nii-san, I promise –" and Obito flinched.

Naruto held himself back and smeared at his sympathetic tears, as Obito choked, fist yanked at the robe around his heart, the forest fire dwindled to dry steam that'd ignite at a single spark, " – STUPID, STUPID –" and Obito's knees buckled, head burrowed to dirt for forgiveness, fists digging into his own ribs.

"That's not true, nii-san," the little sunshine dangerously insisted, "You're really smart, and nice, and kind, and –" Obito wordlessly yelled, torment and anguish and grief so potent the small hairs on his neck screeched. The little sunshine choked on a sob, somehow still so small beside the hunched bow of Obito's trembling back.

Obito smashed his bared face into the pebbled dirt, " – stupid, fucking hypocritical, shit –" he bashed it again, " – shit, shit, fuck-shit –" he punctuated each, and Shisui tried to shuffle forward but Sasuke's shuddering so violently he'll collapse without aid, his heels rustling up dirt. His fists yanked at spiked locks, " – you killed them, not – Shut Up – hypocritical murderer – yeah, murderer, shitty old – shut up, shut up, shut up –"

And then Obito's body dipped lower, a boneless lean of a barren vessel, apart from shallow and slow breaths that heaved the bend of Obito's back. And then his chakra convulsed, until a chakra indiscernibly polluted oozed out, and burned the back of Shisui's throat. What-was-once-Obito darkly chuckled.

This was not someone Shisui was familiar with, and Naruto is in the thick of it.

The body disinterestedly rolled to its knees, unbothered by tear-damp skin and dirt, head tilted for dusk daylight, as if to savor it; ominous smoke clogged Shisui's senses and he cringed at the body's corrupted chakra; and, Naruto toppled back. The lone sharingan whipped to stare at the little Sunshine.

The body darkly huffed, "I suppose I should thank you, little Uzumaki." He steadied himself to stand, straightened his back with care, and rolled out his wrists, like an old shinobi ordered in from retirement. He smirked without humor, "Obito is too preoccupied with his guilt, over what he did to you, to have the strength to fight me.

"I suppose I should thank you too, last Hatake," the-old-shinobi-that-was-once-Obito humorlessly huffed, "If it wasn't for what you did to the weakling's little friend I wouldn't have taken control of this vessel," a large hand flexed and polluted chakra boiled, "And finally have been able to reap what my descendants have sown."

…it was impossible…Obito had issues, it happened, it was common even, in war-prone shinobi villages…multiple personalities, alters took the brunt of torment and anguish, not-uncommon in the children on the front line…Obito measured that, he might even have been captured and tortured; it made sense…and, even if Itachi claimed he'd been approached by a man named Uchiha Madara…

It didn't mean that _The_ Uchiha Madara, the first ever nukenin, the founder of Konoha, was hosted in Obito's body. This Madara was an alter…a personality that continued Obito's torture out of some guilt-ridden turmoil, and –

"…you have Izuna's eyes," the-old-man-that-was-once-Obito murmured to Sasuke in an almost polluted fondness. Shisui tightened his hold as Sasuke trembled. In the lone sharingan eye something contemplated, a shinobi with the turn of the world in his hand.

Hatake was down, panting with a wooden sculpture embedded in his shoulder, the rest of the ANBU had been knocked out in record time, and Shisui is down to his last wisps of chakra with two kiddies to protect – and he can't defeat _anyone_ fronting in Obito's body, anyway.

It didn't even really matter if this is _the_ Uchiha Madara of Old – Madara could've believed himself to be, and so he had become.

"Your –" the sweetest sunshine piped up, drew down Madara's scornful disinterest, and swallowed thickly, " – you’re the bad man Obito-nii told me about. You killed my…" he shook his head and trembled, as Madara's scrutinized Naruto like a bug crushed beneath his boot, "You're the one who killed my…"

"Your parents were inadequate protectors for Konoha's greatest tool," he deemed, and half his upper lip curdled in a savage snarl, "The weakling threw such a tantrum at their death that my time in this vessel has been –" Madara seethed, " – severely limited."

The subsequent glower makes Naruto tremble but, even from behind, the stubborn jut to his chin is visible. "Tobi said you failed. He said you'll always fail." It's because of Shisui's shortcomings, really – that he hasn't physically shoved himself between Naruto and Madara's ire.

The irritation visibly spliced up Madara's shoulders, a large predator intent to swipe, and Naruto is in kicking distance – "You're the one who killed Itachi's teammates, aren't you?" Shisui draws attention and cocks a nasty smirk, "How far the mighty Uchiha Madara has fallen, needing to manipulate a preteen to do your dirty work."

He knows he's on his last vestiges of adrenaline, there's a creeping heaviness surrounding his brain, an uncontrollable trembling in his hands – but he can survive long enough for Hatake to gather some wits and take the kiddoes to relative safety.

No matter that Shisui doesn't want to die, it doesn't matter how much he's leaving unfinished because the kiddoes survival comes first, above everything and anything else.

The chakra signatures flicker in an out of his awareness as Madara's voice darkened, "Says the child who jumped to his death like a coward," and Shisui unwilling flinched. There's sweat on his forehead, and Shisui hopes Sasuke is too out of it to understand what's being said.

With Madara's attention elsewhere Naruto scrambled until his back hits bark, his breaths hard and fast. Shisui tries for an unaffected smirk, "Let's not give me all the credit there. Wasn't it your idea to kill me or did your pawn decide to do that all by himself?"

Madara almost laughed at that. The lone blood-red has none of Tobi's exuberance and affection, and none of Obito's distress and vulnerability. "You are not as weak-willed as you allowed Danzõ to believe," he hums and shrugs, "No matter –" Shisui will knock Sasuke aside when Madara attacks, he'll yell at Hatake to move and divert –

"Shut up! You're stupid and mean and I hate you!" the little sunshine abruptly yelled, hands clenched in dirt and his knees shake, but he still stands, to his proud four foot height, and Shisui is so shocked his brain fizzled to a stop, " – give Tobi-nii back now!"

Only the hiss of dying flames responds. Sasuke's chest has stilled beneath his hands, his heartbeat furious, and Madara huffed: "Tobi does not exist." He bypassed Naruto's instinctive retort, and intoned like an impatient teacher to a dimwitted student, "Tobi is a construct, a placeholder, who cares for this vessel when Obito's being a stubborn brat –"

"You're a liar!" Naruto objected, defensiveness overwriting his fear in less than a millisecond, "Tobi is the best nii-san in the world and you suck!"

Something behind Madara's face shuttered, and deep irritation bore into Obito's scarred lines. Madara drills into Shisui, "Enough. I have a village to decimate."

The last thing Shisui sees is a streak of bloodred – then there is a pain in his skull, so sudden and extreme he slams into the black.

…

…

His chakra is awake and aware of the handful of lights bobbing around his peripheral, indistinct and shaky, except that of the campfire of restrained terror that tickled beside him, an almost pressure at where his hand should be, and Shisui holds the familiar chakra back. He thinks he feels a squeeze.

He is awake at dawn's first sunlight, hot daylight streaks upon his cheeks, and dries his mouth. The chakras are mostly calm, compact and loose in slumber, and the faint crackle of lightening on stalks is perched beside the rustle and sizzle of a near-dead fire. His hand staggers to his newly returned eye –

"You shouldn't touch the socket. Our supplies are limited," Hatake quietly intoned. He carefully skimmed the bandaged hollow, and thickly swallowed a reflective laugh – maybe he should've accepted that he's no longer allowed his own eyeballs.

The two familiar chakras shuffled, discomforted, a clouded sunlight sprayed with fine mist, and a guardian ring of fire. He delicately skimmed their baby-round faces, heated from body warmth and sleep, a light appraisal found no wounds apart from scuffed hands, elbows and knees. Safe. Safe and sound. For now.

Shisui extracted himself, and stumbled towards Hatake, a firm hand guided him to sit on a fallen bark. He accepted the somewhat stale and squished onigiri deposited in his hands and after a careful sniff Shisui chewed slowly, and book paper rustled as it turned.

It's surprisingly peaceful, for what happened before he'd passed out. He finishes the onigiri slowly, enjoys a deep inhale of fresh dry air, birds twitter overhead, and Shisui runs a hand through his sweat-soaked curls. It still smells like Iron here, "So, what happens now?" Shisui tempts fate.

Hatake uncommittedly hummed, paper rustled as he turned a page, "That depends on what you tell me." Shisui suspected that might be the answer.

Hatake's mission had probably started as a simple retrieval and rescue, and had spiraled into confirm at least two full-fledged conspiracy theories. That the Uchiha clan's demise had been a hit _and_ that someone had been behind the Kyuubi attack – not to mention that his previously dead teammate was no longer dead, and the founder of Konoha was still sowing dissent and bringing about the destruction of Konoha.

Hatake is, no doubt, the captain here but he seems willing to listen. His chakra feels unsettled, a sparkle of electricity, and also more human, like a cold layer has been scraped off. If Shisui can play this right, then it's the perfect time for Hatake to have a change of heart.

So Shisui tells him history as he knows it, how there is dissent in the Uchiha, how Danzõ and his ilk inflicted bills and restrictions against the Uchiha, helped along by the well-placed rumors to strike otherness into their hearts – how Shisui could've saved Konoha from bloodshed and how Danzõ had him killed for it.

He explains how Itachi spied and Shisui planned, how his little cousin had been so terrified of war he'd sacrificed himself a billion times over to prevent it, he told Kakashi how he had supported that because Itachi is so terminally ill that dying a nameless shinobi who sacrificed himself was a reachable goal.

He theorizes on what happened after he'd given up, abandoned Itachi alone to find an impossible solution. He cries that Itachi managed to postpone the Uchiha's scheduled demise a whole year before he had to commit the genocide to protect the little he still allowed himself to care about – Sasuke and Konoha.

Shisui intones that the Uchiha cannot return to Konoha, but he doesn't want it destroyed or a war to break out because of Madara's plans; he cannot let their deaths be in vain. "I'll help you stop Madara…" he mumbles, mouth dried out and eyeless sockets scorched, "…if you don't return us to Konoha."

"I suppose you have an idea on how to do that," Hatake says, the first words he's spoken since Shisui started, and his voice is tightly leashed. It doesn't feel dangerous to Shisui, instead it sounds exhausted and unsettled and unsurprised.

His loved ones might actually survive though this.

Shisui thumbs his knuckles hard as his head tilts, "From what I've heard, Madara runs a team stationed in Ame…" he manages a small smile, "…a team of nuke nin, who will be very upset to find out he isn't actually Uchiha Madara." Shisui has zero guarantee but he's willing to take the risk if it gets him closer to his little cousin.

Hatake's voice is muffled, "And where did you happen to hear this?"

Shisui huffed, if it was from Tobi it was liable to be a manipulation; sadly, Shisui had heard it from a different source. "Madara visited Itachi…over the years," Shisui's clenched his fists to hold back how his inability to protect Itachi made him feel weak, and concluded in a quiet voice, "Itachi told me."

The birds tweeted, the sun is warm on his face, the trees rustle like a chorus, and Shisui awaited Hatake's verdict. There is a faint familiar shuffle, and Shisui straightened, trickled out his chakra to find the kiddies awake on the futon Shisui had woken up on.

Hatake stretched, apparent by the faint rustle of clothes, his breath hitched at a particular outreach, which proved his shoulder wound hadn't been healed in full. He stood, "I'm going to talk to my team," he grunted, his footfalls purposefully heavy as he body-flickered towards the other ANBU close by.

Shisui basked in the hope for a few short moments and outstretched a hand towards the kiddies, "How long have you guys been awake, huh?" he lightly prodded, and Naruto hurled warm and exuberant into Shisui's side, his elbow and ribs and shoulder all abruptly squeezed.

"Shisui-san, you're awake! Sasuke was su-uper worried but I knew you'd be okay, I did, believe it!" Shisui wrapped his arm around Naruto's small shoulders, bringing him into an embrace and feeling a live heartbeat.

He is immediately snuggled in sunshine, "That's because you're su-uper smart, Sunbeam," Shisui twitched Naruto's nose, ruffling his tangled locks until the sudden stiffness in Naruto shuddered into a boneless hug. Shisui hadn't wanted to be released soon, anyway.

His baby cousin stops his measured steps forward, and Shisui pumps his outstretched hand in welcome, "You joining us, mini-chi?" He doesn't know how much Sasuke heard, and he doesn't know how to simplify the mess that'd become of their family but he wants Sasuke to still trust him, he needs that. 

Thankfully he doesn't have to figure it out immediately because in the next millisecond, Sasuke is tucked into Shisui's free side. His somewhat erratic breaths bloom on Shisui's shirt beside the little hand that flexes. He presses a hard kiss into Sasuke's dirty hair and rubs his back until the tremble subsides and the sniffles are muffled.

As long as he has a hand on them both he can take them to safety, short-lived though it might be. In the meanwhile, he snuggles the little bundles who deserve better and tries not to be too desperate about it.

"I'm glad you two are safe," he manages in a watery voice, "Why don't you tell me what I missed?"

Naruto bubbled a recap in increasing detail as he settled, sparsely joined by Sasuke's infrequent addons; and Shisui makes appreciative comments and grandiose speculations, and is awarded giggles and faint huffs of laughter. The light chatter won't patch all the sudden wounds but hopefully it'd lessen the trauma of what had recently happened.

Abruptly, "We'll get Tobi-nii back right? And – and Obito too?" Naruto murmured, and Sasuke's scowl pressed into Shisui's side. The faint wind whistled, a light scent of saltwater from the not-so-distant ports. It wouldn't do to needlessly promise, but…

"…I hope so," Shisui smiled.

In an electrical hitch and a mossy bloom Tenzõ and Hatake landed, their ANBU teammates dispersed southward, in the direction of Konoha. Kakashi unlatched a bento box, "Eat," Kakashi ordered, and Tenzõ sighed, dutifully handed the kiddoes stale onigiri, "We leave once you're finished."

Shisui nudged Sasuke's reluctant-to-eat head, "Where are we going? You said you weren't going to take them back to Konoha, right," Naruto chimed and the suspicion was apparent, "That's what you _said_. You _have_ to keep your promises, and Shisui-nii doesn't _want_ to go, and you can't make them, and –"

"Ame –" Hatake distressfully interrupted, and Tenzõ snickered into a mouthful of onigiri, "– we're going to Ame."

"Huh, wait, isn't that –" the high-pitched excitement beamed, thumped fist and bounced, "Are we going to meet my cousin, can we? Can we? I'll – I'll be really good and really, really quiet; believe it! So quiet, quieter than Sasuke, and – and Inu! I'LL BE QUIETER THAN INU!"

Naruto is, without a doubt, brandishing a finger at Hatake; and fatal displeasure crackled at Shisui, which he frankly deserves since he had forgotten to mention that tidbit to Kakashi. Technically, this Uzumaki had familial claim and Naruto was set to waltz into Ame's borders, without adequate guard to take on a village, which was…

It was a frankly dimwitted maneuver no terribly-loyal shinobi would take but, in the words of Naruto, Kakashi had promised. And if it were up to Konoha, he'd have remained abandoned by all those who could've cared and shunned by the village he's destined to sacrifice himself for; he would have never even learned who his birth parents were, unless it became a necessary shove to plant Naruto at the frontline of defense –

It was the least all of them could do after being so complacent.

"You don't have to do that…" he teased, as Hatake's near-fatal intent sharpened, "I think the little champion over here likes your chatter," Shisui thumbed at Sasuke. His back is thumped with a tiny fist, and then a very-heated cheek is pressed into his bicep. Shisui consolingly patted Sasuke's hair, "I know I do."

The little sunshine delightfully spluttered. This Uzumaki better be worth Naruto's hope.

Hatake's exhale is bristled, the wood beneath him creaked, "This is a with us or without us type situation, isn't it?" he dryly asked, and Shisui can appreciate Hatake's understanding of the situation.

Shisui acknowledged it with a deferential nod, and held onto Naruto's forearm. He had regained enough chakra to flicker them halfway across Fire Country in under a minute, probably. His smile almost felt apologetic, "…I think this cousin is also in the team that can help us stop Madara."

"YES!" he bounced after an enthusiastic fist, giddy under all the attention, "We'll find this dude, and then he'll help us take out the old geezer, and Tobi-nii and Obito will come back, and it'll be awesome! And – and, then I can meet my cousin, right? I have a family…" he said somewhat dreamily, then plopped into a half-backed snuggle into Shisui, abruptly hopeful, "Besides you guys, right?"

If he still had eyeballs, he'd have blinked with the tears, instead his bandages became damp. He squeezed Naruto close, "Course, Sunshine, right Sasuke?"

The little champion vice grips Shisui's elbow and shirt; does he already suspect Itachi is one of the people they'll find? The Uchiha genius never helped their hubris. This would work though. If he just…tried hard enough. He'd talk with Itachi and with Sasuke; and it'd work out. They're family. It had to work out…

Sasuke managed a faint grunt.

Hatake and Tenzõ silently communicated, but he's distracted as Naruto splays over his knees to beam at Sasuke, "Isn't this cool, Sasuke? I also have a cousin; they can be your cousin too if you want!" That's a little forward, a ghost of himself teases; and Shisui's mouth twitches.

Sasuke scoffed something unintelligible, and he snakes a hand to Sasuke's flustered cheek, and holds in a snicker as he's batted off. His baby cousin is a clan kid, the second heir, and their little champion is not unfamiliar with marriage, or similar unions, and he's obviously not unaffected.

"Tobi-nii said he's the Amekage, you know!" Naruto piped up dreamily, knobby elbows in Shisui's thighs, "I'm related to the Amekage!" Hatake's chakra anxiously bristled, and Tenzõ deadpanned:

"…the Amekage…"

Like Tenzõ was testing the statement for an appropriate response, it lingered over exasperation and a promise of misfortune. A long and loud nasal exhale followed, and he was certain Tenzõ pinched back a tension headache. The build-up of anxiousness and dreading chakra made Shisui want to do that too.

The little sunshine wiggled firmer in front of Shisui, as if to guard him from Hatake and Tenzõ, and for all it was adorable, it made Shisui's heart hurt.

"I was there," Sasuke harrumphed, an elbow jutted into Shisui's ribs as Sasuke imperiously folded his arms, "He also said your Dad was the Fourth Hokage, remember?" Now there is divine intervention, Shisui leaned back with a nodded exhale.

Shisui heard Naruto's sheepish head rub and shrugged pout, "Well, yeah. But I never got to meet him, you know, and Tobi-nii said my cousin's alive and real, and kinda scary and really, _really_ strong – do you think he's nice?" he wondered apropos, like he didn't expect an answer but had to ask, "I hope he's nice or – yeah, kind but it doesn't really matter, you know," he sheepishly laughed.

"Course it matters…" Shisui patted Naruto's back at the warbled sound of doubt, "…besides, Kakashi-san here was your Dad's student. I'm sure he can tell you some stories about your Dad, _and_ your Mum." His little back stiffened.

"You," he swallowed so hard it vibrated in Shisui's skull, and hopefully extended, "You knew my parents, Inu-san? You're Tobi-nii's teammate?"

Hatake's chakra had weighted, thick rocks compounded, and he is silent, but Naruto's pleased gasp tells enough. Shisui is frankly grateful at the thorough distraction because he hadn't wanted to flee, a kid under each arm, for the unknown mercies of an apparently 'kinda scary' leader of a village situated on the Five Kages' battlefield. 

"Can you – can you please tell me about them?" Naruto half-crawled off Shisui, and hastily added, "I said please," he worried. Like Naruto expected any potential lack on his part could be a reason to not tell him information he deserved to know. "I could say it again, do you want me to say it again – please, please, please –?"

"Sure," Hatake said, nonchalant and at-ease, if not for the strangled quality; and Tenzõ's faint snicker is swallowed in Naruto's shouted hooray, and Shisui's thighs are abruptly without child, as Naruto pesters Hatake up-close and personal. The earth of Hatake's chakra crumbles as he's faintly overwhelmed.

Sasuke dashes off to help (more like argue) with Naruto as to what pressing questions to ask first and prodding the limits of Hatake's knowledge for potential flaws. It's pretty adorable, for all that Shisui cannot ensure that it'll continue. "You've been given the benefit of the doubt here, Uchiha-san," Tenzõ cautioned, "Remember that."

His mossy chakra had bloomed into thorny shrubbery, and Shisui flared his chakra in turn, knew lightning air burst at inhumane speeds. He accepted the warning with a bowed head and a carelessly-carefree smile, "Back at you, Tenzõ-san."

Shisui wanted a clean slate with Konoha but once they hit Ame's borders, they wouldn't need it to survive. Shisui is also doing this for Konoha's benefit. Call it nostalgia, or habit, or apprehension, or hope – but he only wanted the best for his loved ones, and that didn't have to include Konoha.

In about three hours into their trek Sasuke faded from where Hatake murmured melancholy stories to Naruto's tentative adoration, and fingered Shisui's robe in a tight hand. Shisui petted Sasuke's head, and they continued onward. By the fifth hour Sasuke napped, drool pressed to the back of Shisui's neck; and even Naruto fell back with wide yawns and languid blinks.

On the dot of the seventh hour the kiddies both tuckered out, they dashed along the underbrush towards their destination, and the humidity rocketed ever-higher as they neared Ame, while Naruto sleepily grumbled into Kakashi's back.

On the third day of travel Shisui and Sasuke muddied, ankle and knee-deep, to harvest wild root vegetables, the near-silent slosh and snap of food from the earth, forest dwellers tittered and beckoned, the Fire Country trees rustled and hissed in the breeze.

Sasuke shook the mud off a daikon, tucked it beside others in the wooden bowl – his sorrow weighed child-chakra, the tension that heightened with each step forward, and Shisui had to believe it could be better, "…you already suspect who we're going to find, don't you Sasuke-kun?" Shisui lightly hummed and caught the flash of panicked anguish, before Sasuke hid behind his shoulders.

Shisui carefully sat on an upturned trunk, sandaled feet still in the mud, calloused hands skimmed the wooden bowl on his thighs. Since Tobi had beamed over bringing Sasuke back, Shisui had tried to find the best rendition of the truth…but there really wasn't, any which way it wouldn't still be traumatic, and… "I…I don't actually know what he did to you, that night," Shisui murmured.

Shisui had heard the fifth-hand rumors that Tobi recited, that the little black bird had proclaimed he'd done it to 'test his abilities' – it was such a hogwash of a lie it had to be Itachi's – but, how exactly had he proven that to Sasuke?

Sasuke stole a trembling look back in the direction of their makeshift camp, and Shisui's heart arched because for all that Sasuke had attached himself limpet-like to Shisui, Sasuke didn't trust him. He thumbed a callous in the bowl, and shrugged a heartbroken smile, "…why don't you take a seat, and I'll tell you a story…"

It made sense for Sasuke to flee, back out with the knowledge that the horror in the world only had a single face, whatever Shisui would say would shake the unstable foundation he'd landed on after their clan died, and it might destroy the familiar trust that'd so far kept his mind in order…so, it'd make sense for Sasuke to flee.

In the forest's faint movements Sasuke powered through the muddied swamp, hesitated and hauled himself up beside Shisui, breath harsh and chakra a fumbled mess of static and fickle flame. The wooden bowl creaked in Sasuke's hands.

In liquid firm words Shisui depicted the truth, a truth at the very least, it missed some bloodiness, missed the dreaded tension that haunted the compound on the years that led up to the massacre, the distrust and hatred that stared at them from around each corner of the village they'd helped found, their clan shoved into the shadows with whispers about their darkness, the prideful power at the heart of their insanity.

"…they were right, to an extent," he attempted a smile, unlock the tension in Sasuke, and skimmed the fresh bandages over his barren sockets, "…our doujustu is unlocked during emotional upheavals, traumatic events usually," Shisui said somewhat wryly, "…and, as is the sharingan's way it captures and stores those memories to perfection.

"There was an idea that the more traumatic an event, the more power…" he shrugged, thumb carved a knack in his wooden bowl, "…the idea spread in the village, and the Uchiha. It made the most of us a little…unstable," he winced, he was probably making it worse, "…as a shinobi, in a shinobi village, power is everything, and it was a sacrifice most Uchiha accepted of their own free will. But that sacrifice seemed to be paid back in scorn, and with their entitlement…" he sobbed a laugh, "Us Uchiha have always had a soft heart."

Shisui wished he could read Sasuke's expression, "…your brother most of all," the tree bark cracked in Sasuke's fists, "…a fact your father did not appreciate," he tried to lighten, if anything the clasped tension solidified, like Sasuke tightly cinched whatever burned inside himself, hoping it'd die out.

It wouldn't – the Uchiha were born in Amatseru's flames, and thrived in fire.

Shisui repeated that Itachi chose relative peace over guaranteed war, that it hadn't been a battle of Uchiha vs Konoha, it had been a terrible hand that no one could win, and the little genius had believed he had to fix it alone. "I…I guess, in my own pride, I didn't dissuade that…" In fact, he'd thrown himself off that cliff, relieved he'd no longer have to juggle lies and hapless wishes, instability and lack of safety, the terror and horror that taunted at the horizon, and…

He'd abandoned his little black bird to it all by himself.

"Is that why he did it?" something awful trembled in Sasuke's voice, a trapped wail, "Is that why, why –" he sobbed and viciously choked it back, and Shisui delicately cradled an arm around Sasuke's trembling shoulders, tightened his hold as the little champion hitched, " – he m-made me see – sh-showed me what –"

"No…" he horrified, hauling his sobbing baby cousin into the alcove of his body, tears dampened his robe and the too-thin limbs strained in shaking torment, "…oh no, Sasuke-bo, no – no," he rubbed his wet face into Sasuke's hair, "I'm so sorry…I'm so damn sorry, he shouldn't have done that," Shisui cradled Sasuke, unwilling to leave him alone.

In a horrifically practical standpoint, the torture bred in Tsukuyomi made sense, the groundwork flattened to allow a truly terrible anguish to settle – it would've unlocked Sasuke's sharingan, a basis of the power Itachi knew Sasuke needed to survive in a world that'd want him dead.

"Do you remember what I told you, about what Itachi saw that day he unlocked his sharingan?" His sockets burn, headache peaked, and he tried not to sob, tried not to laugh at the awfulness of it, "I…I don't think he know how to make you strong without traumatizing you..."

Itachi had always talked about those days on the battlefield with pure horror, but he'd also attributed it to the start of his path to become one of Konoha's most powerful shinobi.

"You didn't deserve this," he harshly insisted as Sasuke's sobs hiccupped, tears dampening his robe. He smothered his own sobs into his hand, and shook his head, insisted in a voice of crumbling stone, "You don't have to forgive him. For anything, for any of it. You don't have to forgive me," his back shuddered in silent sobs.

Sasuke sniffled and shook his head, simply tucked himself into the bend of Shisui's stomach as he trembled. There the last Uchiha stayed. The faint daylight subsided through the trees, as Shisui wiped off bloodied tears, gunk and pus off both their faces. The root-filled bowls upturned and abandoned.

Shisui stroked Sasuke's back, and Hatake purposely sloshed in the swamp water, "I'm understanding it went as well as it could," Hatake slouched. His sockets were raw, slightly infected and bruised, and his body thudded to a different beat. If he stands, he knows he'll black out, and with Sasuke, as safe as possible, tuckered out in his arms; he cannot let that happen.

Hatake loudly sighed in put-upon complaint to the world, collected the half-emptied wooden bowls underneath one arm, and wrapped the other around Shisui's waist to haul him upright. "Keep a hold of the smaller Uchiha, will you," Hatake grumpily ordered.

He thoroughly nodded, voice wobbled, "Gladly."

The desolate and damp expanse that bordered Ame was littered in abandoned weapons, dulled with the natural elements, cracked bones picked clean by scavenger birds, broken and bent armor swallowed in mud. The buildings that'd once sat there, were only located by smashed ceramics, and upright bamboo troughs peeking out of the mud.

"Keep your eyes closed, Mini-Chi, eyes closed," Shisui reminded as Sasuke peeked out from behind Shisui's shoulder. The Third World War might have officially ended a decade earlier, but if rumor was to be believed, Ame's continuous civil war only reached a final standstill a year previous. And, Sasuke has seen enough fresh dead bodies.

Hatake lightly chided, "Three monkeys, Naruto."

"I'm being the monkeys, Kakashi-nii!" he flailed, and Hatake steadied Naruto so his stumble didn't become a face-full of mud, "You didn't really explain the monkeys, you know!" he grumbled, then hastily added, head whipped to find Hatake, despite his blindfolded eyes, "I only listened then 'cause you were talking, Kakashi!"

Hatake nudged Naruto straighter, "But then how did you know I was talking, hmm?" he calmly countered, and Naruto whined an insulting complaint. Hatake petted Naruto's head, voice terribly soft, "You're doing well – just keep following my cute little Kohai," Shisui heard Hatake's eye smile.

Tenzo's grumbled retort is swallowed in Naruto's exuberant smack, hands clapped to ears, a dedicated mantra of "be the three monkeys, be the three monkeys…" and purposefully trailed Tenzo's chakra.

In a kinder world the little sunshine might've been destined to become a tracker, instead of a frontline powerhouse or berserker; for now, it'd allow him to find comrades when he needed it. Naruto was still fated to return to Konoha, so Shisui also suspected that if Naruto tracked down Hatake in the village to demand attention, then well – Hatake hadn't broken the Third's mandate and sought Naruto out himself, had he?

Further forward the earth splintered into broken canyons, remnants of powerful techniques on a wasted landscape, the mud had become sludge, and they pushed inward only with the assistance of chakra. The sky pelted a waterfall of muddied and acidic rain, and as village chakras flickered off far into the distance, they took shelter beneath a ruin of metal, a trio of thick pipes slugged sewage into canyon behind them.

The hot air steamed in the stench of salt and rusted metal, an overpowering sourness burned, a mixture of sewage and polluted sludge and bloated corpses, and Naruto whined, nostrils pitifully plugged, before Hatake sighed and someone shuffled, and Naruto, nose blocked, mumbled out, "You stink, Kakashi."

The page of a suspiciously dry book turned, "You're welcome," Hatake said, equally as dry.

Shisui brushed back Sasuke's hair, it flopped wetly, and Shisui had nothing to dry it with, their robes had practically drowned, and the underclothes were sympathetically soaked. He flipped his undershirt inside out, shuddered at the soppy wetness, and drew Sasuke closer, "Don't catch a cold, okay?" Shisui murmured, and Sasuke harrumphed, sinking into Shisui's one-armed embrace.

Since Shisui had told Sasuke the truth, he has sometimes found Sasuke's chakra to be contemplative, a murmur of composed intention, an undercurrent of crackled flames and lightning in whatever occupied his thoughts. He thinks Sasuke is staring at him when he does so, but Shisui cannot know for certain.

The little champion has been near nonverbal but he's always a step beside Shisui, even when Naruto interests him elsewhere – there is no explosion, no gunpowder trail bristling in his chakra, so Shisui wants to believe the truth went over as well as it could.

Only time would tell. And, no matter what, he'd be right there.

Hatake hummed and something shuffled, "You can join us too, my cute little Kohai." In the grave silence that followed, the rain continued to pelt and Tenzo's chakra unfurled into daisy-picked bed of grass.

The grassy chakra situated itself beside Hatake's concrete bed of earth, and Naruto's molten whirlwind, "Only because getting pneumonia now will destabilize the mission." An elbow neatly planted in Hatake's side, if the hoarse breath was anything to go by, "And stop calling me cute and or little, Sempai."

The rain thundered, "Of course my wonderful Kohai," Hatake sweetly indulged, and at Tenzo's loud exhale of exasperation, a further shuffle as he became comfier, Naruto giggled. Hatake scratched through Naruto's hair, "Sleep. It shouldn't be long until the village finds us," he murmured.

If Shisui and Naruto sensed the chakra of the village, then the village had no doubt sensed them. The hidden village of Ame was not welcome to visitors. A page of a book turned, and Sasuke and Naruto mumbled off into slumber, while Tenzõ lightly dozed.

Shisui titled his head back onto the frigid metal…if Tobi was to be believed, his little black bird was less than a village away, and so Shisui waited.

The squad of three landed silently at the barest arrival of dawn behind ominously full dark clouds, high levels of chakra greeted them, and Naruto groaned awake, as Hatake extracted himself and stood in slow movements, hands bared and raised.

The squad listened intently to Hatake's captain speech, a cold and somewhat indifferent voice deadened in formalities, he explained their purpose, a threat to the shinobi nations on the horizon, and the insider information that the leader of the village needed to hear so as to be a deterrent.

The shinobi at the center of the squad, dark earthen chakra questioned, "And how does assisting Konoha serve Ame, when you claim we already have the shinobis who can defeat this…threat," like, the idea tasted untruthful.

Shisui stood, chakra calm and lifted his hands in blind surrender. His still sleep-warm baby cousin pinned to his thigh. "Because I have reason to believe he'll be going after what's in your Leader's sockets before," he pointed at his eye-less head, "The Rinnegan, isn't it?"

Hatake and Tenzõ stiffened. And, Naruto peeked out from behind Tenzõ, as the torrent of water chakra beside the squad leader bristled and prodded at Shisui's, "And, why should we believe your claim?" the earthen squad leader flatly inclined. Sasuke's tiny fist twisted in Shisui's shirt.

He flickered a tight smile and lightly shrugged, laid a protective hand on Sasuke's damp hand. "Well as you might be able to tell he took my eyeball and I want it back," Shisui decreed.

"…you're an Uchiha," the maelstrom chakra murmured and prodded at Sasuke, who's chakra had flared into his eyeballs in a familiar manner, when had Sasuke unlocked the sharingan? Had it – it had to have been when Madara stole Shisui's eye, maybe even before that and he hadn't the ability to control it.

Shisui cupped Sasuke's round cheek to his thigh and drew the ANBU level squad's attention, "My name is Shisui Uchiha, of the Body Flicker, and this is my cousin, Sasuke." He forced a slightly cocky smile, "Itachi Uchiha is also my cousin. I know he's here, and I'd like to see him," Shisui inclined, as Sasuke guarded his terrified shudder in a tighter hold.

As long as they were together, it'd be alright.

The earthen chakra tonelessly mulled, "The Uchihas might be allowed entrance." He had laid his selfish intentions bare, potential weaknesses in the eyes of shinobi, bloodline shinobi of the reportedly dead clan, and a history with an alleged threat on their horizon – Shisui and Sasuke would, in all likelihood, be accepted inside Ame's borders. The others… "But Konoha-nin have no business here," the squad leader intoned.

In clear implication that Shisui no longer considered himself a Konoha shinobi, and it was correct to an extent. The squad leader's clear distaste for Konoha was potentially fatal, especially since Konoha and Ame hadn't any treaties. And Konoha's peace-loving reputation could make Ame confident in a lack of retaliation for their death.

Naruto bounced, "I have a cousin too!" his whirlwind chakra bundled and whipped, the rowdy beam audible, "Tobi-nii said the Amekage is my cousin!" The thick boulders in Hatake's chakra compounded around Naruto's, guarded and muffled the hint of fox fire at the eye of the whirlwind.

Even if the Ame squad didn't know the full reason, it was a clear statement that Naruto was under Hatake's protection, and effectively made Hatake a potential target over Naruto's exuberance. "He means the Leader of Ame," Hatake said sweetly.

"Huh-uh, yeah – yeah!" he blustered, whirlwind chakra peeking out from behind Hatake's, "The name's Uzumaki Naruto! And I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tailed fox demon, and the Leader of Ame is my cousin!" a finger brandished at the strained Ame squad.

Shisui felt a sweat-drop trickle down his head.

"You brought a jinchuuriki to our border?" the squad leader gritted, voice dead and harsh, and Tenzo's mossy chakra slightly faded in the background, as if in preparation for a sneak attack and Shisui's followed it, nudging Sasuke back. In any other circumstance, their actions were an incitement of war, a declaration of invasion but it's only…

"The name is _Uzumaki Na-ru-to_! Uzumaki Naruto!" the little sunshine declared, hopped up in righteous indignation, "Let me meet my cousin! I haven't even met the stupid fox, you know, and – and you can look at the swirly seal-thing if you want, look – look!" It sounded like Naruto hiked up his damp shirt and slapped the seal on his belly button, "Tobi-nii said it was strong, believe it!" he passionately declared.

The earthen chakra that shuddered the sludge beneath Shisui's boots finally retreated, "You are to remain here, any movement will be seen as a declaration of war and will be dealt with accordingly," the squad leader demanded, and the squad teleported a distance. The two water chakras lingered, in full observation, as the earthen chakra bolted in the direction of the distant chakras.

"The Rinnegan?" Hatake question in a purposefully light voice, and Shisui centered himself, the adrenaline spike calming just a tad.

"I suspected…" Shisui admitted, "…after some things Tobi had said." It had been an offhanded comment about 'swirly eyes' but he'd shut himself up tellingly quick. Hatake exhaled, and Sasuke's hands are tight around him, and Naruto plopped back into the mud, as Tenzõ inconsolably muttered.

The mud slurped and spat as Hatake gripped Naruto by the shoulders, "And what in kami were you thinking?" Hatake gritted.

"They weren't going to let us in!" Naruto defensively hollered, "And we need to go in, Kashi, _and_ it worked for Shisui-nii!" he chucked a finger at Shisui, who held back a snicker at Kakashi's audible distress. It had been a dangerous gamble but it had paid off for them. Shisui is glad it isn't goodbye, just yet.

"Besides –" Naruto proclaimed, " – I'm not going to lie and be bad, Tobi-nii said that's _insincere_ ," he extenuated, like nothing worse could be imagined, "He said I should always be truthful to my friends!" he exclaimed, completely unbothered as Hatake's chakra spasmed in anxiety and affection, " _And_ that I try to lie too much, and that it was okay to tell the truth to friends, that it was _healthy_ ," like a particularly bad smelling fish, "And –"

"The guard you will never see again after today is not your friend," Hatake sighed in pointed exasperation, and –

"They could be," Naruto declared in vehement objection, fist flailed and catastrophic pout, "I didn't have anyone before but now I have Tobi-nii and Shisui-nii, and even the bastard, I think…" he mumbled off. Then shook his head, "Tobi-nii said friends can be found anywhere, and that I'm awesome so I can be friends with anyone if I really wanted to, and – uh, then –" he trailed off, and Sasuke huffed, a warm fireplace of chakra, "That's what he said!"

Naruto's jacket rustled as he, no doubt, imperiously folded his arms. "You forgot the rest of what he said, didn’t you?" Hatake fondly murmured. A far distance from the stern and emotionless ANBU captain of moments earlier.

The sunshine sheepishly chuckled, "Tobi-nii is really smart, you know! I don't understand everything he says sometimes, but I will, when I'm older, believe it!"

"My-my Naruto-kun," Hatake sweetly patted Naruto's head, "You sound smarter already." The sunshine's chakra practically glowed in happiness; his adorable laugh giddily pleased. Tenzõ's mossy chakra had bloomed, and Hatake gruffly flipped out his book, electing to play unbothered.

The squad leader returned less than an hour later, with authorization to take them into Ame, just as the children choked down the bland replenishment bars, Hatake and Tenzõ's quietly mumbled conversation drew to a close, and Naruto swallowed thickly, "It'll be okay, Shisui-nii." It wasn't Shisui who needed the comfort.

He drew Naruto into a short embrace, "You know. I think you're right," Shisui ruffled Naruto's locks, "Remember to behave, alright? You too, Sasuke. That means no bouncing off the walls, no whirlwind implosions and no sharingan, and try not to insult any snooty-nosed dignitaries," he teasingly chided. Naruto graciously snickered, and Sasuke leveled down more of his weight on Shisui's side.

The squad of three had expanded to a squad of five, "You've received temporary permission to enter Amegakure. Welcome," the squad leader monotoned. "We will escort you to our Leader. You will be stripped of all…external weapons upon arrival. Do not try to escape," they gritted, and all the shinobi bowed their heads in acceptance, before the kiddies hastily followed suit.

The squad walked them through the polluted sludge, the earth crackled dry a few dozen feet before the entrance to a bustling village, civilians tightly packed inside, buildings that strove upward for the little light that spared between thick rainclouds, hanging humid overhead. Beneath their boots, the muddied earth became wet cobbled paths, and rain on metal echoed from around.

Sasuke gripped Shisui's damp robe tighter, "Wow, this place is so cool! The houses are so tall Shisui-nii, and shiny!" he beamed, bounces limited to the five square feet that the ANBU had caged them in, "Hey, hey! Shinobi-san, are we going to my cousin, now? Kashi – Kashi, do you think they're taking us to meet my cousin? Shinobi-san –"

"You will be meeting with his advisor first," the squad leader interjected, and even as Naruto slightly deflated, brushing up against Shisui in tentative comfort, the whirlwind twisted in anxiousness, he bounced ahead, attempting to see the wet streets between their guards. Hatake drew Naruto back, when he tripped on a loose cobblestone and nearly face-planted into an ANBU.

In the peripheral of Shisui's senses, rain water beat an already spluttering flame and Shisui stumbled, head snapped in its direction, "Itachi…" and, Sasuke spasmed. The squad halted around them.

"Uchiha –" Hatake warned.

"Huh," Naruto chuffed, "Who's Itachi?"

His heart thundered, "You can follow me, right? I'll stay perfectly trackable, I swear on my honor as a shinobi, but I have to get to my cousin," Shisui insisted. His chakra thrummed, the wind whistled between the buildings and Shisui held himself back from stepping into the stream, "He's about a hundred and twenty feet east of here, I…"

"You are to meet with Leader-sama's advisor first," the squad leader intoned, and Shisui's near-vibrated out of his skin. His little blackbird was a body-flicker away, and shame burned in Shisui's stomach, and he had to fix it but Sasuke needed protection, and…

"I'm coming with you," Sasuke declared, hands tights around Shisui's waist, a clear refusal to be afraid. Hatake would keep the others safe, and Tenzõ was their trump card if needed, and his little champion was being so brave, and Naruto would finally meet his own cousin, and –

"You should go…Shisui-san," and, unable to deny himself, he body-flickered, Sasuke wrapped around his waist. The flames breached beneath the downpour, and bolted, and Shisui hefted Sasuke onto his back, and body-flickered. The flames weathered the panicked storm and dashed, and Shisui body-flickered.

The rain drizzled, tightly constrained, as flames gasped for ignition, and Itachi forcefully stalled in an area vacant of chakra. The air cooler, water rumbled in thick pipes, civilians living their lives beyond, and Sasuke's tiny body trembled as Shisui let him slide off his back. His robe and shirt tightly clasped as he hid behind Shisui's thigh.

His little blackbird's chakra shudders. He fervently wishes he could see his little cousin, how the horror had fared on him, "Hey, Chi-Bird," Shisui says, horror and shame war in his chest, the guilt is weighted lead in his footfalls, and he feels paralyzed in the knowledge that his weakness, his stupid selfish acceptance of death had done this, had dragged his loved ones down the deep end, "…you look great," Shisui tries self-deprecatingly, and regrets it immediately.

There is a faint mumble.

Shisui tries to step close but Sasuke whimpers, fists tightened, "I…I didn't catch that, Itachi-kun, sorry," he tries to smile, loosen the load on all of them. His only wish is to gather up the both of them, and hold them so tightly the world wouldn't dare hurt them again. The light drizzle taps on the thick pipes, "Could you…could you repeat that?"

Itachi rasped, "You…you were dead, I don't…" His throat sounds choked, and Shisui's sockets burn sympathetically. His hand trembles on Sasuke's head.

"Tobi…found me after I…" after he'd been a fucking weak-willed bastard, and abandoned his best friend! His chakra is cramped and compressed, and oh so very tightly constrained, and Shisui cannot read Itachi from this distance, without eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry, Itachi," Shisui's hands fisted, "I shouldn't have – just left you to handle –" 

"You didn't do anything wrong," Itachi intoned, happiness and life distant memories.

Somehow Itachi expected people to always be at their best abilities, and Shisui's laugh bordered on a sob, "I gave up," he countered and roughly palmed at the dampness clogging the bandages, "I abandoned you to the clan and that fucking bastard," Shisui gritted.

"I'm not a victim," Itachi intoned, a perplexed and strained undertone, "It was my choice. I chose to kill our clan," like the words were merely a string of sounds, and Sasuke's sobbed breaths hitched in horror. His little champion is being so brave, and _of course_ Itachi hadn't realized…

"I couldn't use my eye…"

Itachi stilled, "…what?" It almost sounded affronted.

"Tobi killed Danzõ, and returned me my eye, and I couldn't use the kotomatsukami…" he'd sat between two softly snoring kiddies on a hard bedspread, the dim lights of the cavern lit and fizzled, and twisted chakra to prep for his most powerful technique, and near-suffocated beneath the dread when he realized he couldn't. "Danzõ used my eye, Itachi," Shisui clarified.

The flames in Itachi's chakra spluttered higher and higher, the incoming storm doing nothing to dissuade it, "You're trying to manipulate me. It was my choice to kill our clan," Itachi intoned but his chakra was shaking, "…it was the only option to dissuade war, to save Konoha," it could've been a chant, and Shisui suffocated a regretful weep.

"Really? If the Uchiha had known that the Hokage expected an attack from them, it wouldn't have changed anything? It wouldn't have laid all the truths on the table? A reconciliation wouldn't have been found?" he scoffed and countered, "And how come our _only option_ is immediate death, huh? What if we'd gone to the Hokage with evidence of Danzõ's intent? And why did it even have to be one of _us_ to kill them –"

He embarked forward, "– and why did it have to be you?"

"Stop, please. It was our only option to prevent war," Itachi wetly gritted, it doesn’t sound like he can breathe, "A civil war would've left us vulnerable to external attacks, and then all of Konoha would've been decimated. This _was_ our only –"

"…why did it have to be you?" Shisui pointedly repeated, a terribly soft tremble in his incessant harshness, "He was quick to get me out of the way, wasn't he? You're smarter than this Itachi. Why did it have to be you?"

"I…I," the little blackbird stuttered, and swallowed so thickly it's audible over the rain's pitter-patter, "You were dead, and my baby brother is so young," he murmured in an exceptionally soft voice, "…the clan was so angry, and there can't be another war, there can't –" Itachi shuddered, "I was in a…position to do –"

"You were just thirteen. Yet, you've never even considered teenage rebellion," Shisui huffed, the shinobi steel in his voice unyielding hardened, "You are an exceptionally talented shinobi, and known for following every mission objective to the letter. You were forced to choose, every damn day, who to prioritize, who would survive, our family or the village – they pulled and pulled so much from you I felt your kami…" his throat closed, he croaked, "I was your only ally and I _died_ –"

"I'm going crazy, aren’t I…" is the soft mumble.

Shisui crowded forward, heart trembled, "…and they knew you'd die young…" his sockets burned and his chest ached, "…there was never any escape from death, was there? It all made sense! Senseless death, how could there be anything but that?"

That dusk was so vivid, when he'd told Shisui the fresh news, his little blackbird's hopelessness on baby-soft cheeks, he saw it like a phantom in his eyeless head. It's like the little seven-year-old hadn't expected anything different.

His loyal little blackbird was softhearted and destined for a horribly slow death, with a now unattainable dream to become the strongest shinobi alive and ensure peace, so Shisui had cultivated the idea that being a nameless shinobi who sacrificed himself for the good of Konoha was the mark of true shinobi…in contrast, a quick death that'd fulfill his shinobi way was more a blessing than most shinobi received.

Shisui might as well have been brainwashed himself. "You were backed into a corner, and then he ordered you to meet with him, didn't he?" he said purposefully soft. "He wanted it to be done quickly and quietly, didn't he? He didn't want anyone to ever know, did he?"

He found Itachi's forever-underdeveloped shoulders, and Itachi's breath hitched low in his throat. His little cousin had gotten taller. "He backed you into a corner, just like he did the Uchiha, and you were the scapegoat for his paranoia and ambitions," Shisui intoned, voice impossibly tender.

Once Itachi inevitably died, and with the Third Hokage shamed into silence, no one would've ever known what Danzõ had stolen.

It hadn't been Itachi's fault.

None of this was Itachi's fault.

The familiar wisps of Itachi's hair tickled his hand as he shook his head, "…no, no, then it was for Konoha…" Itachi shuddered so violently it near dislodged Shisui, before he held firm tighter, Itachi's shallow panicked breaths bloomed on his collar, and a powerful and still small hand clasped at Shisui's elbow.

"He harvested our family's eyeballs and implanted them into his arm, Itachi," Shisui choked and forcefully intoned, "He did that to cheat death." Shisui shook his head, delicately wrapped himself around his too-thin little cousin…"It doesn't really matter why he thinks he did it…But this was his fault, Itachi.

"You didn't have a choice," Shisui rubbed his tears into Itachi's damp hair, pressed a kiss to his temple, "But you're more than the weapon he made you become. You're my little blackbird, right?" Itachi had always been a silent crier, so Shisui held him tighter as warm tears pooled into his shoulder, and nails bit into his side, "You're Sasuke's big brother, okay?"

Itachi couldn't suffocate a horrified hitch.

He smelled overpoweringly like rainwater and medicinal herbs, blood lingered, an almost avian musk drifted, and while the rain in his chakra became a torrent, the flames burned ever brighter. Shisui soothed the knobby bones of Itachi's spine, "You're my best friend, okay?" he smudged back his own tears.

His little cousin's hand spasmed, an abrupt tap that Shisui recognized as ANBU acceptance. It repeated, and repeated, and repeated, and repeated, and Shisui felt warm, despite the frigid rain and tears. "Rendered Itachi-kun speechless, did I?" he lightly teased, as rainwater drizzled down the back of his throat.

Sasuke's familiar little self tentatively pressed against Shisui's thigh, he sniffled a smile and cuddled his family closer. He thinks a little hand must've reached for Itachi's robe because Itachi's breaths hitched, and the shudders rebounded harder.

Being out in the rain for too long would make his little cousins' sickly but for the next few moments, Shisui wouldn't trade this for the world. The little family he had left was safe and together and…

On the other side of the village, something imploded.

The Ame shinobi squad leader had called the lady the Advisor, and her chakra felt like a delicate paper fan destined to slice through his insides, and Naruto restrained himself from hiding behind Tenzõ. The room was cold, air tingled in Kashi's electrical chakra and the airy judgement of the Advisor. The door locked shut, and Naruto swallowed.

Kakashi and Tenzõ lowly bowed, and Naruto hastily followed. This might've been a bad idea, it was dangerous, and he'd dragged Kakashi and Tenzõ into the middle. That was really bad of him, "You have two minutes to detail your purpose here," the Advisor said, steel-voiced and face unburdened. Her eyeshadow was a pretty lilac, and she was very, very scary.

"About three weeks ago, a masked man kidnapped Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto from Konoha, he called himself Tobi," Tenzõ had stiffened, apprehension curdled the flowers in his chakra, "My team, amongst others, was tasked with the retrieval of the two children and stopping the threat.

"On our second week we found the children with Uchiha Shisui. We were then found by Tobi," there is a patch of sweat dampening the mask on Kakashi's neck, "…and it became apparent that Tobi is only one personality in his body. We were subsequently ambushed by Uchiha Obito, and then an alter by the name of Uchiha Madara…"

The Advisor's wind chakra stabbed with a pinprick precision, and even though it wasn't directed at anyone, it made Naruto flinch. Her lilac shadowed lids narrowed. Naruto heard Kakashi's throat bob. In a tense shift, Tenzõ scooted to keep Naruto shielded, an alert field of flytraps in his chakra that drew Naruto's focus.

Kakashi simplified and abbreviated, and the Advisor remained bland-faced, amber gleam pinned onto Kakashi, a predator staring down a creature that hadn't realized it was prey yet. "This alter wishes for Konoha's destruction, and I believe Shisui-san has reason to believe Madara will attack the Leader of Ame before that," Kakashi absently bowed his head and nonchalantly smiled, "In the meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto-kun wanted to meet his relative."

"The jinchuuriki?" the Advisor highbrowed. Tenzõ shot Naruto a truly terrifying dead-stare, and the objection died in his mouth as he shuddered. The red cloaks on the Advisor's dark cloak swayed as she shifted, "Then you seem to believe Leader-sama is an Uzumaki," her mouth curled, a memory of humor.

One of Kakashi's hands tucked in his pocket, he was trying to act cool but Naruto could tell he was nervous above her hollowed smile. "If Tobi is to be believed, he is," Kakashi allowed and the Advisor's ambers narrowed in displeasure, "I'm sure there's a way to find out for certain."

Thunder crackled, and a shadow solidified into the backdrop of delighted trickle in the noon sunlight, "Konan-san. It would be best not to take counsel with weaklings," Madara rasped, boots scrapped on metal, face guarded in a white and black mask.

He had two bloodred eyes and Naruto feels queasy at the realization that one of them belongs to Shisui-san. 

Tenzõ fully blocked Naruto from view, and Konan's sliced chakra spiked, "You've been keeping secrets from us…Tobi-san," Konan hummed. And, Naruto felt a bristle at their chakra, a fight would breakout, and not a fun one like he'd spied at the training grounds. The Advisor, Konan, was angry – and Madara had Tobi's face but he wasn't Tobi.

An almost disgusted twist shuddered. He tutted, "It matters not, when I am owed a debt," Madara sneered, "Or, have you forgotten the chance I have bestowed you? The world he died for hangs in the balance…"

"I do not have my Leader's godly powers… I also do not have his good will to your attempted mechanics, you should have care with how you speak," Konan warned. Like Konan was that old man in the market, waiting with fan poised to smack when Naruto is no doubt difficult. The tension thickened, choked in Naruto's throat, pressured as Tenzõ's mossy chakra tried to protect him from the worst of it. Tenzõ-san is also being really nice –

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a confrontation on the border of Ame and Konoha, say 4 years ago, would it?" Kakashi-teme slouched, frame pricked and hands flexed in tension, and Konan's chakra sliced, as Madara's ominous clouds puffed and polluted and, "Because in the late Shimaru Danzõ's files, the leader of ROOT –" he helpfully supplied, " – described a man calling himself Uchiha Madara as the orchestrator of that incident –"

The world imploded, bubbled, twisted and faded, chakra whipped, metal shrieked, a torrent of rain immediately soaks Naruto through, the floor quakes, and Tenzõ cautioned: "I've got this Sempai!" and Naruto flailed, choking on smoke and debris.

The familiar scent of canine lightening pressed into his face, and what-looked-like paper whistled past with the violence of a barrage of sharpened kunai. The battle looks terrifying and loud and powerful, and Naruto is painfully aware how very weak he is. Kakashi drops him to a damp rooftop, the skies poured and soaked, and the tarp overhead angrily rustled.

But his family is fighting one another, and he can't sit back! The thick wood creaked, like a dragon tackling at full-speed, and the metal building beside them shrieked in protest, "Wait, wait! That's Tobi-nii's body, you can't hurt him!" Naruto yelped, hanging off Kashi's elbow, "I can get through to him this time, let me talk to him – I can talk to him!" The storm thundered, and Naruto denied his stab of fear.

It's not like he's scared of the skies stomps and bellows of rage – he's NOT – and Tobi-nii is down there, well Madara is down there being a stupid, old bastard, and he doesn't understand what's happening but – "Find cover, and do not intervene," Kakashi ordered, like he actually believed Naruto would follow that, "Promise me –" he narrowed.

He can't lose them! Naruto charges past Kakashi. He is immediately swept up in a flurry of gangly limbs and deposited back further beneath the tarp, paper shrieked overhead, and Kakashi's rain-sopped face hardened, "Stay –"

"No!" he yelled, hands restrained fists because Kakashi has barricaded the only escape, "– you're in the way, Kashi, move! I can help – let me prove it, I can – I can, believe it!" Kakashi hauled Naruto steady, large hands firm on Naruto's shoulders, and braced himself.

The world forever raged onward, it shrieked and tortured, enflamed and soaked; and Kashi kneeled, hands unwavering on Naruto's shoulders. His incomprehensible black pinned to Naruto, and somehow, he's unsettled and riveted, a stable island he hadn't anticipated in a spitting ocean. He couldn't have moved, even if he'd wanted it.

Kashi firmed Naruto's shoulders, "I believe you," he simply stated, and Naruto's heart burst even as his righteous hope dimmed, "But I won't take the risk that you'll be hurt in the process. Obito –" he fiercely intoned when Naruto's mouth protested, " – and Tobi wouldn't forgive themselves if Madara hurt you, and he will try to hurt you…"

Kashi's hands had abruptly tightened, and when Naruto winced, he sympathetically did it back and loosened his hold, inhaling deeply. Naruto feels sort of fascinated. "I will do everything in my power to bring Obito…Tobi home. Trust me," Kashi eye-smiled.

First Tobi will be lost to Madara, and Kashi will hurt Tobi, and Kashi will leave because Inu _always_ did, and Naruto knows Shisui doesn't want to go back to Konoha, and he'll take Sasuke, and he tried to be a big boy, but leaving the village is the best thing that ever happened to him but it's for nothing because now he'll be all alone ag–

The waterworks blubber out his throat, "I can help…I promise, Kashi." He scrubbed at his face. He'd never forgive himself if his loved ones got hurt, if there's something he could do to make them stay –

Kashi hummed and knuckled Naruto's chin upward, tears blurred his vision, but Kashi's smile has tendered, "I don't doubt it…but we need you to be safe, more than we need you in the field. Mah, don't cry," he loudly sniffled as Kashi scrabbled a warm hand through his soaked hair, "…stay out of sight, okay, Naruto-kun?"

Kashi straightened and lightening thundered overhead, an enraged bellow tore apart the sky, and dragon of fire whipped and steamed into the streets – and Kashi stilled.

Naruto had seized Kashi's wrist, fingers flexed at the sharp heartbeat underneath, overwhelmed that Kashi actually allows him to hold. Kashi sighed, "…Naruto?"

He blurted and begged, "I don't want you to go," he manages to articulate and scrubbed hard at his soaked cheeks, he's never done this before and his heart feels full and like he's about to toss if off the Hokage mountain, "You and Shisui-san and Sasuke-teme and Tobi-nii and, and Tenzõ-san. You have to come back. You all have to," Naruto demanded, and swallowed over a tight throat.

He wanted to believe, he wanted to believe Kakashi can promise that! He wanted to trust that someone would be there, pop in when he felt alone, come back, stay with him because they loved him and wanted to put him right there at the top of their most important list –

Kakashi dutifully hummed and petted Naruto's head but all he said was, "We'll do whatever we can, Naruto-kun…"

He sniffles painfully, "That's not a promise! You have to promise! You have to come back –" his head keeps shaking and Madara yells in Tobi's voice, and his fist trembles around Kashi's wrist, "I – I – promise me you'll find me, with everyone! I'll be really good, awesome-good, I'll – I'll listen and stay and won't move or anything, and I'll – I'll give you Gama-chan and – and all my plants and food and ramen and kunais and everything – I will I promise – but – but you also have to promise, to come back with everyone, or – or just you and Tobi-nii a-and Shisui and Sasuke and – and – you have to promise! And, mean it! Don't lie! It's not nice to lie!"

"It's not up to us Naruto," Kashi said in a terribly distraught voice, a lesson he had internalized, and Naruto's ribs hitched and heaved and there's a familiar tingle in his limbs and mouth like – like he cannot breathe –

He shakes his head, " – n-no, no, you have to promise –" he sobs, this attack thing can't happen now! He shoves a fist in his mouth and bites down, hard, on his knuckles. Okay – OKAY he's not enough and that promise he'd wanted had been stupid, that's fine, he's a big boy, has been for AGES and he doesn't need no one looking after him or being nice to him or happy to see him or to smile at him or even be around him or anything like that, he can look after himself and not be a nuisance or a problem or a bad influence or a monster or the worst thing that'd ever happened to everyone, he's just being stupid – so STUPID – and selfish and needy and awful, less than human, a bug, a MONSTER and –

He hunkers down to hide himself beneath his window, the sounds of the villagers a distant thrum behind his loud heartbeat and there's thunder overhead and Kakashi needs to help Tobi-nii – he's being so selfish and stupid – he has to wait, it'll pass but shut up, shut up, shut up or they'll throw things at him, if he's lucky they'll only hate him more – stop HURTING – he's not scared, stop being a baby, stop it, STOP IT, STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT –

The chakra storms all around, drowned in the sopping wetness, and canine lightening trickles in, "…breathe, okay. I promise, there we go, I promise – please breathe, _shit_ –" the murmur fades in and out, and the world is a colorless dim and his head aches, and his face is smooshed into a pool of warm fabric –

He drifts into a familiar black cloud of chakra, and it shudders with laughter. His blurry vision finds a shut door, walls a shiny metal black, water and his heartbeat rush in his ears, a low thrum of human voices, and his front is warm and the back of his neck is cold.

The heat source rumbles in a hum, a large familiar hand, soothes his back, and his breath preemptively hitched. " – yah, yah, Tobi said we're really sorry, oh almighty Pain-san," Tobi chided.

His face is pressed into the damp fabric of Tobi's robe, a weighted ozone chakra blanketing all but the tiniest of electrical sparks that are close by, but Tobi's compounded chakra cloud, heavy with rain and ash infested simply hovered, unbothered by it all, and faint daylight simmered through the wispy curvatures.

Several more low murmurs follow.

"You should've asked Madara before Obito banished him," Tobi carelessly shrugged, "Well Naruto-chan is definitely an Uzumaki. So, if he doesn't mind, you could do a blood test," Tobi winningly deemed.

"Allow me to understand this –" a very deep voice intoned, it sounded weird, like he's making the sounds without the rasp of breath, and Naruto hunches up at the unfamiliarity, " – I am one of the last Uzumaki alive. Madara knew this, and implanted the Rinnegan in me after my parent's death because, as an Uzumaki, I had a higher likelihood of survival. Madara wanted to begin the Prophecy, that declared a child would create peace on this earth, so that he could easily kill me to ensure that his plan of creating an _eternal dream world_ would come to fruition."

Tobi helpfully nodded, "Sounds about right," he bounced a little, like mother's did to their babies in the streets of Konoha. His head felt all kinds of fuzzy…

"To do this –" the voice continued, deeply irritated and yet with no gritted teeth, " – he massacred the Uchiha, who had the abilities to stop him, willfully fanned the flames of war in several nations, most of all in Konoha and Kiri, and orchestrated the death of our best friend, Yahiko."

"Yep," Tobi popped. His large hand rubbed soothing circles on Naruto's back, and his lids felt extremely heavy. He's really tired and Tobi-nii is right here, if he holds on really tight then –

The deep voice snarled.

The hair on the back of Naruto's neck spooked, in blurred vision across Tobi-nii's damp and distinctly burnt robe, he spies a shock of silver and a large smudge of black. He harshly blinks, and Sasuke's head poked out around Kakashi's frame, his shoulders lift in relief and his blacks twinkle in a fatigued frown. He lifted a hand and waved.

Naruto flexed his stiff hand, and waved back, feeling oddly exposed. He looks upward, finds the chin of the usually covered face. Tobi-nii's kind eye closes in delight, the blistered and braided white scars bunched tightly, as his unblemished side quirks in affections. It's definitely Tobi-nii, he smudges back waterworks, and wraps himself hard around Tobi-nii's collar.

A happy hum warms his temple, and a kiss is quickly smacked to that location, the same way Tobi-nii said would plant a beautiful flower of love deep inside his head, and it'd only come out when Naruto was so covered in love it had to bloom.

"You don't have to say it," the deep voice sighed.

The Advisor, Konan, smugly decreed, "I did tell you not to trust him." And, a deep sigh rattled out. It echoed, weirdly, like it was made with cobwebbed pipping, the same metal pipes as those in the walls. There is a faint shriek of metal on metal, and heavy footfalls, before a door calmly shut.

The ozone chakra blinks out of existence.

"He should just be a moment," Konan hummed, faintly bemused.

Tobi-nii loudly whispered, "How are you feeling, Naru-chan? We heard Kakashi-kun was emotionally constipated," he soothed, and Naruto found Kakashi's masked features, head tilted to observe Naruto, and he eye-smiled, tense but ultimately relieved. Konan was in front of them, expression dulled if twitched in bemusement, and her shoulders looked lighter.

His cheeks pinked and he squirmed, and Tobi-nii set him down, held his shoulders steadied. "Kashi-nii wasn't emo-tunly com-con…" his tongue felt like it was made of cotton wool, and Tobi-nii patted Naruto's shoulders, drawing Naruto sharply against him.

"Now – now, Naruto-bõ, there is no need to protect Kakashi-kun. My best friend Obito will never believe the evidence is in Bakashi's favor," he huffingly decreed, and Naruto giggled at Kakashi's somehow lighter eye-smile as if he hadn't heard a better complaint. His dad was really lucky to have the best students…

He really wants to thank Kakashi-nii, for being there and, he thinks, for hugging him, and making the stupid attack not feel as bad as it usually did, and Kakashi-nii had kept his promise because Tobi-nii is right here, swaying as he hummed and lightly tapping on Naruto's head to some unheard tune – but he can feel Konan staring at him, and she's really scary so –

Shisui-nii looks around Kakashi's frame, exhausted and tenderized in relief, a hand on the shoulder of a really old man who looks like Sasuke, and – "Shisui-nii, you have two eyes!" Naruto blurted, and Shisui-nii laughed.

"Really?"

Naruto rapidly nodded, "Uh-huh. You look really cool, Shisui-nii!"

The laughter twinkles in two heavily lashed and red-rimmed blacks, fatigued, strained and slightly swollen, but brimming with love, and Naruto can _feel_ it. "Thank you, Naruto-kun," he bowed his head in acceptance, and Sasuke's face scrunched upward, like he'd walked into a fart in the classroom. The old-man-who-looks-like-Sasuke exhaustedly blinks and hides himself behind Shisui's frame.

"Hey, hey! Your eyes are also cool, Sasuke – even when you're being a prissy bastard, acting like you're all cool and handsome – " he puffs his chest out as if to mimic, then deflates, " – obviously not as cool as Shisui-nii, because Shisui-nii's not like a bastard," and all the adults are looking at him weird. It's because he got sidetracked again, didn't he? Is it something else?

From a quick glance Naruto notes that Tobi-nii's smile is adoring and positively radiant, Kakashi-nii grumbles something behind an exasperated faceplant, Shisui-nii is pointlessly biting back a delighted and cheeky grin, Sasuke's cheeks are red and he looks like he's holding himself back from decking Naruto around the head, but something has softened in the old-man-who-looks-like-Sasuke, even though he hasn't even _looked_ at Naruto yet.

He sheepishly rubbed sweat off his neck, " – I'm sure you have cool eyes too, old man who looks like Sasuke – like, you really do look like Sasuke, like are you guys like related or something, believe it!" The old man's head glances out, brows furrowed, and Shisui snorts, nudging an elbow into the old man's side, as Sasuke holds tighter to Shisui's robe, with his cheeks still flushed and a phantom of a smile. He thinks Sasuke almost looks pleased.

"You aren't going to thank him, old man Sasuke, huh," Shisui-nii teases, elbow still lodged in the old man's side, "What happened to your manners? Should I start calling you the Old Champion?" The Older-Sasuke-guy looks at Shisui with a devasted affection that makes Naruto's heart sympathetically squeeze.

The metal door clicks open and ozone chakra weighs crestfallen and heavy upon them, a man in a cloak like Konan, and the old person who looks like Sasuke, shuts the door behind him. His skin is really pallid and sickly but his chakra feels like a lung-full of the marketplace, spices and food and sunlight and ozone and people and birdies, it feels like life. His hair is the best though, a brilliant waterfall of scarlet red.

It's the sharpest color Naruto has ever seen outside of his own wardrobe.

Behind the desk the steel in Konan's amber eyes has liquidized, tempered shock and happiness soften all her stern-faced scariness, brows coming together in affection. The red-haired man eyes all the adults, lingers on Tobi-nii and the old man Sasuke, with a freakishly ringed eye, before staring down at Naruto.

He hastily wipes off the sweat that beads on his forehead, "Eh, what you looking at me like that for?" It doesn't look hateful or disgusted, or like Naruto's done something horrendous to him, he looks…sort of…searching, like his new teacher Iruka-Sensei! He checks with Tobi-nii but he looks like he's daydreaming of something peaceful, and Naruto shrugs: "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki! And I'm going to – hey!" he swatted at the poke of the ozone chakra, "That's rude!"

The red-haired man almost smiled, "…you felt that?" he asked in almost familiar voice, it was soft and deep, and prepped Naruto for a good doze. He crouched and his head tilted, the waterfall of scarlet shifted to reveal two ringed eyes, "That was my most discreet chakra probe. No one else has managed to feel it…before," he murmured.

It almost sounded like…Naruto toothily beamed and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "That's because I'm awesome, believe it!" The red-haired man hummed in thoughtful agreement. Maybe Naruto was right and it really had been a praise!

The red-haired man pushed himself to a stand, held a silent stare with Konan, which finished with her arched brow and firm nod, and sighed even as he definitively nodded back. "It's late," the red-haired man intoned, "You are all official guests of Amegakure – don't make me regret it," he singled out Kakashi-nii, and warily eyed Tobi-nii, "…how certain are you that Madara will not return?"

"Oh, very! Obito made Madara go boom-boom bye-bye –" Tobi-nii cheerily cackled, pointed a finger in definitive punctuation, " – we didn't even swallow him! He wasn't like Tobi or Ichiyõ or Swirly or-oh –" he nervously laughed, and shimmied a hand, " – shouldn’t have told you about Swirly, ha-ha, yes!" he frantically clicked.

The red-haired man scrutinized Tobi-nii, distrustful and unimpressed and didn't deign it with an exhale. His ringed eyes shifted off and Tobi-nii released a huge sigh of relief, Naruto outstretched to comfortingly pat his back, and Tobi-nii bestowed Naruto a proud watery smile. It felt new and also the same, without the mask there, one eyeball brimmed in heartfelt tears, and all his features revealed. 

"We'll discuss any further decisions tomorrow," the red-haired man mellowed, and scrutinized all the adults in near-exasperation, "Anything else I should be aware of before you're escorted to the guest quarters?" Naruto whipped his head about to look at all the adults.

"One thing, Leader-sama…" Shisui-nii hummed, head respectfully bowed, hands firm on Sasuke's unknowing shoulders, and only continued at the red-haired man's nod, "I, Uchiha Shisui, am officially requesting asylum for myself and my cousin, Uchiha Sasuke. I will become your shinobi, if you so choose it…" Old Man Sasuke's eyes popped, and Shisui-nii sadly smiled, "For your consideration."

Naruto had expected it. It wasn't a surprise and it didn't hurt, not like a knife stab, but like a dulled comprehension of what he'd already known. He'd thought Shisui-nii would ask Naruto's cousin though – hang on, he blinked back tears and refocused on the red-haired man, red like from Obito-nii and Kakashi-nii's stories…

His…cousin, was that his real blood relative cousin, head titled, intrigue and scrutinization lined in an understanding that did nothing to rid his brow of the respect he demanded, "I will consider it," he intoned and sighed, "Itachi-san, you're off duty in the meanwhile." Old Man Sasuke jarringly nodded, and his red-haired cousin exhaled, "Anything else?"

Tobi-nii flailed as he nearly fell face-first in an attempt to read Shisui-nii's expression over Kakashi-nii's immovable chest, and Naruto hesitantly lifted a hand, like all his teachers yelled at him to do. The ringed eye tiredly focused on Naruto, and he thickly swallowed: "Um, mister, sir, um, are you…the Amekage?"

The question of family locked in his throat; he's never had a blood relative before, and he didn't want to be disappointed yet. The ringed red-haired man squinted, and Konan's painted mouth twitched into a smirk, it didn't look upset – "I guess I am. I'm Nagato…Uzumaki, I presume," his red-haired eye-ringed cousin engaged, and Naruto's eyes popped, "Its…good to meet you Uzumaki-kun," he said sincerely.

Naruto toothily beamed back tears and laughed.


	2. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a mini epilogue to show the new norm :3  
> had to keep it cutesy!

That morning, Ichiyõ-san made his bento box so Naruto is chowing down on the somehow flavorless inarizushi when Iruka-sensei raps his knuckles on his desk, "Uchiha-san should be here soon, are you ready?" he asks, his smile soft and kind, and it makes Naruto's heart full.

He swallows the last of his bite and beams, "Yeah! Me and Nii-san packed our bags last night, and Kakashi-nii brought us both new coats because he said he had them spare and Nii-san said Kakash-nii is shitt-" uh, probably shouldn't swear at Iruka-sensei, "- bad liar because – because one of those coats was my size but Kakashi-nii pretended he couldn't hear us, again, and –"

"Huh, telling lies about me again?" Kakashi-nii peered far too close over Iruka-sensei's shoulder, and promptly dodged Iruka-sensei's elbow. He pouted and turned a page of his book, "I assure you Iruka-sensei I've never ignored my darling little brother…"

"Liar!" he brandished a finger at Kakashi-nii, who continued to ignore him.

Iruka-sensei folded his arms and arched an unimpressed brow, "Uchiha-san couldn't make it, I take it?" Kakashi-nii shrugged in answer, and Iruka-sensei sighed but knocked on Naruto's table, "That's your cue, Naruto-kun," he smiled.

And Naruto stuffed the last of his inarizushi in his mouth, packed in his notebooks as Iruka-sensei had Kakashi-nii sign him out of the academy, "Huh, where you going, Naruto?" Kiba called out, beside him Shikamaru and Ino peered at him.

He still hasn't made best friends yet but the other kids have started talking to him now, since he got his brothers, and that also feels awesome! "To see my cousin! He lives in A-" Kakashi-nii knocked into Naruto, who only didn't topple underneath his backpack because Kakashi-nii caught him by the collar, like he's an unruly puppy.

He did the same thing to Bisuke when she ate all the omelet from the trashcan that one time. He eye-smiled at Naruto, "My, my Naruto-kun, you nearly fell. You really should learn to be more careful," he winced as Naruto punched him, hard, in the solar plexus. Then he smiled, "You all packed?"

He grumbled an affirmative, then brightly waved at his classmates, "I'll see you guys later!" Kakashi-nii headed out the door and Naruto peeked at his classmates diverted attention, before he quickly hugged Iruka-sensei around the middle, and shied off before Iruka-sensei could react, "See you later Iruka-sensei!"

It's really sunny in Konoha, so it's also humid but it's a little after noon so there are still people in the marketplace, eating at the stalls, and underneath pretty umbrellas. He looks about at the wares, sniffs the food and ignores the hard or disconcerted looks before trotting after Kakashi-nii, "Why'd you do that, before – in there?" Naruto mumbles.

Kakashi-nii eyes him behind his book and hums, "Do you remember what the Hokage said when he agreed to this trip?" Naruto strains himself to remember, he'd been so excited! Hokage-jiji and his cousin had been 'in talks' for _ages_ , even before he and his nii-sans had come back to Konoha, so when Hokage-jiji finally agreed to let them visit Ame Naruto had blissed out.

He did remember though and Naruto pouted as he sounded out, "…he said not to tell anyone where we're going…" Kakashi-nii smiled and patted his head, and Naruto crossed his arms and scowled, "That's stupid! If everyone knew how nice everyone in –" Kakashi-nii slowly blinked at him, and Naruto's grumbled, " – there, then we wouldn't have to fight them! It shouldn't matter that we're in different villages."

Kakashi-nii only patted his head again but, hidden behind his orange book, there's something sad and proud, and it makes the discomfort in his chest squirm, all pleased. He would have said something if those two compounded chakras weren't following them, wouldn't he?

"Sorry I punched you," Naruto belatedly mumbled.

Kakashi turned a page in his book, "Oh is that what that was?" Because Naruto is becoming more mature, like Tobi-nii-san praised, he only growls in answer.

Their new apartment is in a really nice area, it's clean and modern, and usually for shinobi families, even though Tobi-nii-san isn't a shinobi. Kakashi-nii moved in next door, then pretended he'd lived there for years, and Obito-nii had cried then pretended he hadn't (because he'd been feeling overwhelmed, as he'd explained later). 

"We're home!" he called, and from his bedroom, Obito-nii's forest fire chakra is a muddied flicker; so Naruto unpacked his schoolbag – his first ever, and brand new – and he's stuffing his training clothes in the hamper when Kakashi-nii shoos him in the direction of Obito-nii's bedroom, "It’s not time yet!" he insists with a look at the clock.

"He's had alone time all day," Kakashi-nii hummed, then headed for the sink to clean the dishes Naruto had just deposited in there. This whole living together, being a family, is still new to all of them and Naruto doesn't want to annoy his Nii-sans too much.

So Naruto pouts a little, says a quick goodbye to all his plants, double-checks that the new pesticide hasn't hurt their leaves, and knocks on the frame of Obito-nii's door, "Nii-san?" there's a faint shuffle from the other side, "Nii-san, it's Naruto, can I come in?"

There is a somewhat familiar croak so Naruto peeks inside. The room is dark, heavy curtains drawn, so he blinks at his eyes adjust to reveal a familiar lump in the middle of the bed. He opens the door a little wider, rounds the bed, and clambers up to where Obito-nii's hair pokes out. The weighted blanket shuffles, and a familiar dark eye peeks out.

Naruto happily beams, "Hey, Nii-san! Me and Kakashi-nii just got back from the academy! Iruka-sensei taught me how to multiply numbers today and – and Sakura-chan taught me how to make those daisy chains, she said she doesn't really like to make them but I think they're fun!" he proclaimed, and Obito-nii blinks.

From beneath the blankets a pale arm is unearthed and Obito-nii ruffles his hair, "…I'm glad you had fun, small bean," he croaked, dark eye a little sharper, "…and no one was mean to you?" he checked, and Naruto's beam teared-up a little at the concern, and he shook his head.

Obito-nii eyed him, like he'd lie again – after the first time Naruto had lied, then Obito-nii got really sad and made Naruto his favorite meal and then they watched his favorite movie, and Naruto had felt so bad he'd tearfully blurted it out in the middle of Lady Kiyoko hugging her daughter, Princess Miruko, and then Obito-nii had to explain that he hadn't meant for Naruto to feel bad (in fact he'd wanted the exact opposite) but Naruto had already learned that it's much less guilt-inducing to just tell the truth – and then smiled sadly, ruffling his hair a little more before smooshing his face back into his pillow.

"Are you all ready to go then?" he mumbled.

Naruto rapidly nodded, "Yeah! I've just got to get dressed though," he pulled at his orange t-shirt, it had a red Uzumaki spiral on the front and he'd painted an Uchiha fan on the back – and Tobi-nii had squished his cheeks really hard, when he'd first seen it because he thought it was fitting and that Naruto was adorable, and then he'd complimented Naruto's steady painting hand.

It's been his favorite t-shirt ever since, even if the color had faded from it a little with all the washes it'd been through. Obito poked Naruto's stomach, "Then hop to it, squirt – and let me get up," he sighed, like the world had laid itself upon his shoulders, and Naruto scrambled to do as he's told.

"Kakashi-nii says we're leaving in ten minutes," he called back and Obito loudly groaned into his bed covers, while Naruto bounded into his room, and Kakashi-nii ambled into Obito-nii's bedroom.

Even with Naruto's door partially closed, he can hear Obito-nii's hiss as Kakashi-nii throws open the curtains which promptly bathes the entire room and the hallway in sunlight. He doesn't understand their bickering, as he's tugging on a clean shirt and jacket over his head, but he doubts it any different than usual.

Naruto neatly stuffs Gama-chan (his new toy frog, and not his old wallet!) into his backpack, double-triple-checks that all the presents are secured inside, and hikes it up onto his back.

By the time they have to leave for the gate, Obito-nii is still in the shower so at his insistence, Naruto and Kakashi-nii head out. The dusk is about to settle on the dirtied path in the direction of Ame when Tobi-nii swirls into existence a little ahead of them, " – there's you guys are, Naruto-chan!" he hugely waved.

"Tobi-nii!" he races into Tobi-nii's arm, laughing wildly as Tobi-nii flings him about, and smooshes a kiss into his cheek, "You took forever ~" he complained, and Tobi-nii beams, licks his thumb and wipes some dirt off Naruto's nose.

His dark eye twinkled as he pats Naruto's head, swivels on his heel, and heads onward to Ame, "My best friend Obito got distracted by – oh!" Tobi-nii chimed and dashed ahead, to peer up at a bird that was cleaning its feathers in a nearby tree, "Isn't that a pretty bird, oh yes you are!" the bird in question looked at Tobi-nii funnily, and Naruto snickered.

The rest of the trek is really uneventful, a light drizzle begins after a certain point and the road becomes muddied, at which point Ichiyõ-san comes out, his back shinobi-straight, his stare impervious and no nonsense and declares Konoha as the greatest village if only on weather alone, before he disappears to talk to the compounded chakras that's been following them from the village gates.

Naruto splashes into the forming puddles, and Kakashi-nii unhappily tucks his favorite book into a waterproof pocket.

It's nearly a week later that the compounded chakra signatures stop trailing them, and Tobi-nii is skipping around in circles, as sunlight starts peeking out behind the rainclouds. Kakashi-nii carefully takes out his favorite book, "You nervous?" he checks, and Naruto loudly scoffs.

"He's nervous!" Tobi-nii calls back.

"I'm not!" Naruto shoots back, hand flexing on his backpack, it's just been a while since he's seen any of them, and what if they realized they didn't like him, and they haven't really been able to send letters and – Tobi-nii circles back around, scrubs a hand through Naruto's hair and beams:

"Tobi promises they're all going to be super-duper excited to see you, you know why?" he slyly shimmies, and Naruto helplessly shrugged. He leaned down and whispered into Naruto's ear, "Because _we're_ all always super-duper excited to see you, plum muffin!"

He instantly flushes, "That – that's different, you're – we're family, right?" he checks, voice small, and he's new to this but family is – family is the best ever, and it makes his heart feel so full that sometimes when he's alone he doesn't feel alone anymore, his stomach feels satisfied and his limbs feel warm, because he's so lucky, because he's loved, because they do love him, and they're there if he's sad or happy, they make him feel safe and warm, and he trusts them and he loves them so, _so_ much his chest bursts –

Obito-nii's voice is terribly soft, his large hand ruffles Naruto's hair, "Oh pipsqueak, you're going to make me cry if you carry on like that…" he sniffles, his dark eye suspiciously bright as Naruto scrubs back his own tears. His smile brightens, the scars around his mouth softened, "There you go. You're crazy if you think they haven't missed you as much as you missed them," he lets him know.

"…you think?" he worries his bottom lip, checking around him.

Kakashi importantly nods, still hidden behind his book, "You have those Uchiha wrapped around your little finger." Obito-nii shoots Kakashi-nii a cautionary look, but doesn't deny it and Naruto doesn't really know what to do with that. "At the very least," Kakashi-nii turned a page of his book, "They'll be happy to receive presents. Everyone likes presents," Kakashi-nii intones, in a very matter of fact voice.

That is true. Naruto nodded, firm in himself, and Obito-nii pressed a kiss to his temple, as he straightened to his full height, "Onward!" Obito-nii chimes, and Naruto hopes they'll also be happy to see him.

Their journey takes them to an ANBU checkpoint, it's really formal as Kakashi-nii and Obito-nii talk with the guards, and Naruto peeks his head around the bodies and –

"Sasuke!"

His black hair is still in the stupid style and he's dressed in black, being all dark and mysterious and too cool, and he looks away from the figures above him to find Naruto, and his eyes pop and the best smirk smiles at him and –

Sasuke bolts forward and Naruto has to meet him halfway, so he dodges around Obito-nii and the ANBU, and plows into Sasuke, it's hard and it hurt but Naruto's laughing and Sasuke still feels like cozy campfires and electrical static, and hands wrap around his back and pull him in tight and Naruto's heart feels so full again – "Bastard!"

Sasuke grunts a return, "…loser," and the smile is audible, and his hands have tightened in Naruto's coat, and "…don't cry on me…idiot," he can't really hear it, beneath the strong pulse of Sasuke's heartbeat, and he's buried his tears into the stupid high collar of Sasuke's cloak, and it's really nice – it's really, really nice, especially because Sasuke's such a bastard.

He doesn't really know when they break off, though Obito-nii and Kakashi-nii around behind him, and Shisui-nii and Itachi-san are behind Sasuke – and Sasuke's turned his head, cheeks flushed red like they hadn't just hugged for ages, but Naruto's still wiping off his tears so he can't really make fun of him for it.

He beams up at Shisui-nii, "It's really good to see you guys," he tears up at them, and Shisui-nii ruffles his hair and pulls him into a hug with a quick tease of 'now that you're finally free, I can do this' at he and Sasuke both. Shisui-nii still feels like ice-electricity, it's a cold chakra but his hugs are always so warm, and his curly hair tickles the scars on Naruto's cheeks.

Kakashi-nii pats Itachi-san's shoulder, a small smile on his face, "Let's take this inside. Before your cousin decides to rain on us again," he hums, and Naruto lifts his head in the direction of his cousin's chakra signature, and finds it satisfied and occupied.

Itachi-san hums, "How long will you be staying for?"

"Two months," Obito-nii stretches, like he'd just completed a difficult kata and is proud of himself, "You'll be sick of us before we leave."

Shisui-nii smiles down at Naruto and ruffles his and Sasuke's hair, he yelps and Sasuke scowls, but he also looks happy, he looks really happy around the eyes, "I doubt that," Shisui admits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, there are a few little scenes that can still go in this world, but this is probably all I'm going to write.   
> I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I really had fun writing this, so I thought I'd add a little clarification about Obito's alters:  
> Obito (the host - depressed bean)  
> Tobi ('main' alter - caregiver/protector/maternally inclined)  
> Ichiyo ('somewhat' persecutor alter - extreme rule follower, very Kakashi before Obito died askew, thinks that nothing bad would've happened if they'd just followed orders, and that giving their life for Konoha is a blessing...... ...he clashes with the rest of the system **a lot** )   
> Swirly (holds a lot of trauma and big on manipulation, no idea who his true self is; instead always pretends to be Tobi when he is **definitely not** Tobi)   
> -Madara (not an alter but, when he shoved his soul in Obito as an immortality grab, became the catalyst for the break in Obito's personality - now banished ( ⊙‿⊙))
> 
> Feedback is appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> :D  
> I hope you enjoyed, an epilogue should be along shortly, so please let me know what you think!  
> Have a wonderful day/night!


End file.
